UTEP Football: Alan Luna Named as Ray Guy Candidate

UTEP punter Alan Luna was announced as a 2016 Ray Guy Award nominee on Monday. The Ray Guy Award identifies the nation’s top collegiate punter. The list is made up of 66 finalists.

The junior is on the list for a second year in the row.

The El Paso native is ranked third in Conference USA and 30th nationally in punting average [43.3]. Luna punted four times for an average of 50.0 yards [200 yards] against Old Dominion on Oct. 29, including two inside the 20-yard line. Luna punted four times at LA Tech on Oct. 1. Of the four, three were kicked inside the 20-yard line, while two were inside the 10-yard line. The last time Luna kicked a trio of punts inside the 20 came against LA Tech in 2015. On Sept. 24, Luna booted a career-long 69-yard punt against Southern Miss during the third quarter. Luna’s 69-yard punt is tied for 16th-longest in the nation this season. Luna kicked six punts for 306 yards for a career-best 51-yard average versus the Golden Eagles. Luna now has 4,833 career punting yards, and needs 120 to crack the program’s all-time list.

The list will be narrowed down to ten semifinalists to be announced on Friday, Nov. 11. Following the 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 three finalists who will be identified on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The voting body will then cast ballots to select the winner. The 2016 Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Luna is one of seven Conference USA punters to make the prestigious list. They include FIU’s Stone Wilson, Florida Atlantic’s Dalton Schomp, Middle Tennessee’s Matt Bonadies, Old Dominion’s Bailey Cate, Rice’s Jack Fox and WKU’s Jake Collins.