LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has announced the 20 semifinalists for the 2021 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl -- and UNLV senior Daniel Gutierrez is part of the select group.
 
A three-year letterman from Los Angeles who walked onto the squad out of Granada Hills Charter High School in 2017, Gutierrez stands 12th in the nation in field-goal percentage at 91.7 after hitting 11 of 12 attempts. He has made both of his tries measuring longer than 50 yards, including a career-best 53-yarder vs. San Jose State.
 
After being surprised with a full scholarship during camp in August, he started his season off by nailing a career-best four field goals vs. Eastern Washington, which earned him a spot as a Lou Groza Star of the Week. Gutierrez, whose only miss this fall was blocked, has made all 14 of his extra-point attempts while also handling UNLV's kickoff duties.
 
The most accurate kicker in program history, Gutierrez broke Jim Cook's 34-year-old school record for consecutive field goals made when he hit his 15th and then 16th straight attempt dating back to last season. His career field goal numbers of 32-of-39 rank him first on UNLV's all-time list with a percentage of 82.1.
 
Semifinalists for the Groza Award will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced November 23 and honored at the 30th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Virtual Celebration, streamed live December 8 on lougrozaaward.com. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards just one day later.
 
The award is named for Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home six Super Bowl titles.
 
On Wednesday, Gutierrez was named a national nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes annually the college football's most outstanding former or current walk-on player. He and his team travel to New Mexico this weekend to take on the Lobos Saturday starting at 4 p.m. PT.