Sept. 21, 2000
LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior punter/kicker Ray Cheetany is one of 32 booters from around college football who are members of the first Ray Guy Award watch list, which was announced recently by the Greater Augusta (Ga.) Sports Council.
The Ray Guy Award will be awarded to the nation's best punter as determined by a committee made up of sports writers, college football coaches, former punters and members designated by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. The winner will display leadership, self-discipline and have a significant positive impact on the team's success.
Cheetany, who punts, kicks off and placekicks for the Rebels, finished fourth in the nation in punting average in 1999 at 45.4. A 2000 preseason All-American, he is the only punter from the Mountain West Conference to appear on the list.
A national selection committee will choose 10 semifinalists on November 8 and three finalists will be announced Nov. 30. The winner will be announced in December at a formal awards dinner in Augusta.
The Ray Guy Award was created to recognize the remaining major position on the football field without such an honor. The award was named after arguably the greatest punter of all time, Ray Guy, who attended the University of Southern Mississippi and then was drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders and starred for the team from 1973-86.
2000 RAY GUY AWARD WATCH LISTPLAYER SCHOOL PLAYER SCHOOLJason Baker Iowa Reagan King MississippiBrooks Barnard Maryland Andy Kohl New Mexico StateRay Cheetany UNLV David Leaverton TennesseeMike Clark Houston Casey Lipscomb TulsaKeith Cottrel Florida State Mike MacGillivray USCAlan Cox Washington St. Kevin McMyler Boston CollegeKurtis Doerr Oregon Steve Mullins Utah StateTravis Dorsch Purdue Brian Morton DukeDan Dyke Georgia Tech Joey Pelfanio KansasHayden Epstein Michigan Alan Rhine FloridaMark Fazzolari West Virginia Casey Roussel TulaneJeff Ferguson Oklahoma Andy Shatley Arkansas StateSteve Fitts Illinois Matt Steffen Western MichiganDan Hadenfeldt Nebraska Kevin Stemke WisconsinNick Harris California Colin Vadheim SMUCurtis Head Marshall David Zastudil Ohio
