Maryland Football Communications
Sophomore listed among the nation’s top punters
(College Park, Md.) – Maryland sophomore punter Wade Lees has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2017 Ray Guy Award, the Augusta Sports Council announced on Wednesday.
The Ray Guy Award honors the nation’s top collegiate punter. Lees is one of 29 candidates to be named on the list.
Lees started at punter in all 13 games for the Terps during his freshman season in 2016. He punted 72 times for 2,868 yards (39.8 avg). The Australia native pinned 20 punts inside the 20 and only recorded one touchback.
The Ray Guy Award committee will select 10 semifinalists, who will be announced on November 16. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on November 21. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Thursday, December 7, 2017.
About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage and percentage of punts not returned with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.
-Terps-
(College Park, Md.) – Maryland sophomore punter Wade Lees has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2017 Ray Guy Award, the Augusta Sports Council announced on Wednesday.
The Ray Guy Award honors the nation’s top collegiate punter. Lees is one of 29 candidates to be named on the list.
Lees started at punter in all 13 games for the Terps during his freshman season in 2016. He punted 72 times for 2,868 yards (39.8 avg). The Australia native pinned 20 punts inside the 20 and only recorded one touchback.
The Ray Guy Award committee will select 10 semifinalists, who will be announced on November 16. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on November 21. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Thursday, December 7, 2017.
About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage and percentage of punts not returned with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.
-Terps-