ATLANTA - Georgia State punter Brandon Wright has been named to the pre-season watch list for the 2019 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation's top collegiate punter and is presented by the Augusta Sports Council.
Wright, the senior from Atlanta, was a semifinalist for the 2018 Ray Guy Award, becoming the first GSU player to be named a semifinalist for a major college football award.
Last season, Wright ranked third in the FBS in both punting average (48.2) and net (42.8). His season punting average of 48.2 yards per kick was not only set a new Sun Belt Conference record but it was the eighth-best season mark in FBS history. His net was the second-best mark in Sun Belt annals.
Wright was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2018, and he enters 2019 on the Preseason All-Sun Belt team.
The Panthers begin preseason practice on Aug. 2 in preparation for the Aug. 31 season opener at Tennessee (3:30 p.m. on ESPNU). Georgia State's home opener is Sept. 7, when the Panthers host Furman at 7 p.m. (ESPN3) at Georgia State Stadium.
The 2019 watch list of 26 candidates was compiled based on the 2018 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List, the top ten NCAA Punters from 2018, the 2018 All-Conference teams, the 2018 All-American Teams and the 2019 pre-season All-Conference Teams.
The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations next week. The complete list of candidates will be released on Nov. 5. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on Nov. 19. 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 Nov. 25. 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, Dec. 12, 2019.
2019 Ray Guy Award Pre-Season Watch List:
• Adam Korsak, Rutgers
• Alex Kinney, Colorada
• Arryn Siposs, Auburn
• Blake Cusick, Fresno State
• Blake Gillikin, Penn State
• Braden Mann, Texas A&M
• Brandon Wright, Georgia State
• Cody Grace, Arkansas State
• Devin Anctil, Kansas State
• Drue Chrisman, Ohio State
• James Smith, Cincinnati
• Joseph Charlton, South Carolina
• Kyle Thompson, Kansas
• Logan Tyler, Florida State
• Michael Turk, Arizona State
• Oscar Bradburn, Virginia Tech
• Oscar Draguicevich III, Washington State
• Pressley Harvin III, Georgia Tech
• Ryan Bujcevski, Texas
• Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State
• Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse
• Steven Coutts, California
• Thomas Bennett, Tulsa
• Tommy Townsend, Florida
• Will Hart, Michigan
• Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU
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.
About the Augusta Sports Council
The Augusta Sports Council (ASC) enriches the quality of life and economic well-being for the Augusta metropolitan area by supporting and attracting sporting activities. To learn more, visit www.augustasportscouncil.org.
