Botts among 2012 Ray Guy Award Candidates

Botts among 2012 Ray Guy Award Candidates

AUGUSTA, Ga. – University of Miami senior punter Dalton Botts is one of 69 candidates for the 2012 Ray Guy Award, the Augusta Sports Council announced Friday. The Ray Guy Award is given to the nation’s top collegiate punter.

Botts, who was on the Ray Guy Award Watch List in July, ranks fifth among ACC punters with 40.5-yard average on 36 punts. He has pinned 15 punts inside the 20, while booting four kicks of 50-plus yards. The Taft, Calif., native is one of five ACC punters named as Ray Guy Award candidates, joining Will Monday (Duke), Sean Poole (Georgia Tech), Thomas Hibbard (North Carolina) and Alex Vozenilek (Virginia).

The list will be narrowed to 10 semifinals on Nov. 9. Following the semifinalists announcement, a national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, coaches, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists, who will be identified Nov. 19.

The presentation of the Ray Guy Award will be featured on “The Home Depot College Football Awards” live Thu., Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The show, hosted by ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard, will feature live presentation of nine player awards, along with the recipients of Disney’s Spirit Award, The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award, the NCFAA (National College Football Awards Association) Contributions to College Football Award, and student-athletes selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team.

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RAY GUY AWARD
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. The Ray Guy Award winner is determined by a national voting body of sports writers, college coaches, sports information directors, and past Ray Guy Award winners. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times a 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. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team’s success.

AUGUSTA SPORTS COUNCIL
The Augusta Sports Council (ASC), a non-profit organization which strengthens the quality of life and economic well-being of the city of Augusta by recruiting, supporting and attracting sporting events. To learn more, visit www.AugustaSportsCouncil.org.