The Augusta Sports Council announced last night that Georgia’s Drew Butler has won the 2009 Ray Guy Award, which is given annually to the top collegiate punter. The award was presented during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show. The Bulldog sophomore beat out Michigan’s Zoltan Mesko, and Chas Henry of Florida to take the honor.

 The award caps a remarkable year for the Bulldog standout. Butler, who has led the NCAA in gross punting yardage for a great portion of the season, was named a Walter Camp All-American. Earlier, he was named a midseason All-America first team selection by Sporting News and Phil Steele. Additionally, he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, and also was recognized twice as the “Punter Performer of the Week” by CollegeFootballPerformance.com.

 This season Butler punted 50 times, with 17 downed inside the opponent’s 20-yeard line and nine fair catches. He had a long punt of 75-yards in the season opener against Oklahoma State. With a net punting average of 42.8-yards he guided Georgia to the top team net ranking in the NCAA. He had no blocked punts during the regular season. Georgia’s 2009 season will end on December 28 when the Bulldogs take on Texas A & M in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Augusta Sports Council has named the finalists for the 2009 Ray Guy Award for top collegiate punter. The three athletes were selected by a national voting body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) coaches, sports information directors, national media, and former Ray Guy Award winners. The voters will cast a second round of ballots to decide the winner.

This year’s finalists are (in alphabetical order):

Drew Butler (So.) Georgia
Currently leads the NCAA in gross punting average, as the Georgia Bulldogs lead in team net punting. Named midseason All America first team selection by Sporting News and Phil Steele. Had a long punt of 75-yards against Oklahoma State.

Chas Henry (Jr.) Florida
The Week 10 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week has led the Gators to a third-place NCAA ranking in team net punting. Has dropped 12 punts inside the 20-yard line and has 6 punts of 50-yards or more.

Zoltan Mesko (Sr.) Michigan
The 2009 preseason first team All American has led the Michigan Wolverines a second-place standing in team net average. The four-year starter is Michigan’s all-time career leader in both punts and punting yardage.

Ray Guy Award voters evaluated the punters on their overall statistics and contribution to the team. Particular emphasis was placed on the following statistics: net average, percentage of total punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned. Georgia, Michigan, and Florida currently lead the NCAA in net punting.

The winner of the 10th Ray Guy Award will be announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards show on Thursday, December 10. The winner will again be honored at the CSRA All Area Football Banquet at the Augusta Marriott Hotel and Suites on January 14, 2010.

About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia-native, College Football Hall of Fame inductee, and arguably football’s greatest punter, Ray Guy. The RGA selection committee evaluates the nominees overall statistics and contribution to their team to identify the semi-finalists. Finalists and the winner are selected by the national voting body.

About the Augusta Sports Council
The Augusta Sports Council (ASC) is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization, established in 1992 to market the Augusta-area as a major amateur sports destination. Annually, the Augusta Sports Council attracts, supports, and manages numerous competitions and activities for all levels of participation.

About the National College Football Awards Association
The Ray Guy Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official Web site, www.NCFAA.org.

The Augusta Sports Council has announced the top ten semi-finalists for the 2009 Ray Guy Award, which identifies the nation’s top collegiate punter. This year 42 punters were nominated for the honor. The nominees were evaluated on their overall statistics and contribution to the team. Particular emphasis was placed on the following statistics: net average, percentage of total punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned.

The semifinalists are:

• Drew Bul ter, Georgia, Sophomore
• Peter Caldwell, Utah State, Junior
• Desi Cullen, Connecticut, Senior
• Ryan Donahue, Iowa, Junior
• Johnny Hekker, Oregon State, Sophomore
• Chas Henry, Florida, Junior
• Jeff Locke, UCLA, Freshman
• Rob Long, Syracuse, Junior
• Zoltan Mesko, Michi gan, Senior
• Matt Reagan, Memphis, Senior

A national voting body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) coaches, sports information directors, national media, and former Ray Guy Award winners will decide the three award finalists, who will be named on November 23. Voters will then cast a second round of ballots to decide the winner.

The winner of the 10th Ray Guy Award will be announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards show on Thursday, December 10. The winner will again be honored at the All Area Football Banquet presented by the Augusta Sports Council, The Augusta Chronicle and WJBF NewsChannel 6 in late-January 2010.