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Oct. 25, 2001
Charlottesville, Va. – Punter Mike Abrams is one of 10 finalists for the second annual Ray Guy Award announced today by the Greater Augusta (Ga.) Sports Council. The award is presented to the college punter of the year in honor of Ray Guy, a native of Thomson, Ga., and one of the greatest punters in the game’s history.
The 31 punters on the initial watch list were evaluated on their overall statistics and contribution to their teams with emphasis placed on the following categories: net average, number punted inside the 20-yard line, percentage of total punts inside the 20, average return yardage and percent not returned.
Abrams, a senior from Aiken, S.C., is averaging 43.2 yards per punt this season, the second-best average in school history. He has forced an ACC-leading 13 fair catches, dropped 14 inside the 20 (also an ACC-leading figure) and had 12 punts of at least 50 yards. His 67-yarder last Saturday vs. Florida State is the longest in the ACC this season. Virginia is eighth in the nation in net punting (39.2 avg.) and allows an average return of just 8.2 yards.
Abrams was named the ACC Specialist of the Week recently for his play against Florida State on Oct. 20 when he averaged 43.9 yards on seven punts.
Others named finalists for the Ray Guy Award are-Brooks Barnard, Maryland, Freddie Capshaw, Miami, Travis Dorsch, Purdue, Damon Duval, Auburn, Jeff Ferguson, Oklahoma, Joey Huber, Colorado State, Jonathan Kilgo, Georgia, Steve Mullins, Utah State and Dave Zastudil, Ohio.
The Ray Guy Award will be named on the ESPN College Football Awards show, which will air Thursday, Dec. 6. The winner will then be honored at the Greater Augusta Sports Award Gala.