Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tomasek Named To Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List
8/2/2023 10:00:00 AM | Football
The EMU junior is one of 43 punters named to the list
AUGUSTA, Ga. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University junior punter Mitchell Tomasek (Columbus, Ohio/ Worthington Kilbourne) was named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List Wednesday, Aug. 2, for the first time in his career in an announcement made by the Augusta Sports Council. The award honors the nation's top collegiate punter in the FBS.
Tomasek is one of three Mid-American Conference players named to the 43-man list.
The Columbus, Ohio, native took home five MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week honors in 2022, the most weekly award wins for an Eagle since Jake Julien hit that mark in 2018. Tomasek punted 49 times for an average of 44.1 yards per attempt in 2022. That figure led the MAC, and ranked 23rd in the nation. Moreover, his 44.1 yards per punt was the third-best single-season total in EMU program history. Tomasek was recognized nationally on two occasions last season by the Ray Guy Award as a "Ray's 8" selection, given to the eight best college punters in each respective week of the regular season.
Tomasek already ranks second in an EMU career in terms of average, while that tally also ranks second-best in a single-season.
He is one of 43 on the preseason watch list with the selections incorporating a broad spectrum of FBS punters based on the 2022 Ray Guy Award semifinalist list, the top 10 NCAA punters from 2022, 2022 All-Conference and All-American teams, 2023 preseason All-Conference teams, and eligible punters on the 2022 Ray Guy Award watch list.
The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations Aug. 3. The complete list of candidates will be released Nov. 6. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the 10 semifinalists who will be announced Nov. 10. 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 Nov. 22. 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 in December 2023
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:
Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award > Samson Evans
Tue., Aug. 1: Outland Trophy/Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award > TBA / Mitchell Tomasek
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O'Brien Award
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award
Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award
For more information about the NCFAA and its college football awards, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter @NCFAA.
Tomasek is one of three Mid-American Conference players named to the 43-man list.
The Columbus, Ohio, native took home five MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week honors in 2022, the most weekly award wins for an Eagle since Jake Julien hit that mark in 2018. Tomasek punted 49 times for an average of 44.1 yards per attempt in 2022. That figure led the MAC, and ranked 23rd in the nation. Moreover, his 44.1 yards per punt was the third-best single-season total in EMU program history. Tomasek was recognized nationally on two occasions last season by the Ray Guy Award as a "Ray's 8" selection, given to the eight best college punters in each respective week of the regular season.
Tomasek already ranks second in an EMU career in terms of average, while that tally also ranks second-best in a single-season.
He is one of 43 on the preseason watch list with the selections incorporating a broad spectrum of FBS punters based on the 2022 Ray Guy Award semifinalist list, the top 10 NCAA punters from 2022, 2022 All-Conference and All-American teams, 2023 preseason All-Conference teams, and eligible punters on the 2022 Ray Guy Award watch list.
The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations Aug. 3. The complete list of candidates will be released Nov. 6. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the 10 semifinalists who will be announced Nov. 10. 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 Nov. 22. 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 in December 2023
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:
Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award > Samson Evans
Tue., Aug. 1: Outland Trophy/Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award > TBA / Mitchell Tomasek
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O'Brien Award
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award
Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award
For more information about the NCFAA and its college football awards, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter @NCFAA.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
P
/ FootballJim Streeter - MAC Hall of Fame Induction Video
Wednesday, May 27
Jim Streeter’s Lifetime of Service Earns MAC Hall of Fame Honor
Wednesday, May 27
100 Days To Kick Off For The 2026 Season
Thursday, May 21
Eastern Football Host 12th Annual Victory Day
Wednesday, May 20