LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV football program continued its unprecedented week of preseason honors with junior punter Marshall Nichols named one of 34 players on the official preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award, released Friday by the Augusta Sports Council.

Nichols, who was added to the watch list during last season, is the first Rebel to be named to a Ray Guy Preseason list since Logan Yunker in 2015.

A former transfer from the SEC, Nichols is now a two-year returning starter in Las Vegas and under the direction of special teams coordinator James Shibest, last fall became one of college football's top punters. Named 2024 Preseason Second Team All-
Mountain West by Athlon and Phil Steele, Nichols earned Honorable Mention All-MW after one of the best seasons in UNLV history. His average of 47.1 yards per attempt not only ranked sixth in the nation but was also the second-highest mark in Rebel history, sitting only slightly behind 1984 All-American Randall Cunningham's 47.5 rate

The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor the college and pro football Hall of Fame inductee and Raiders legend. The winner is determined by a national voting body of sports writers, college coaches, sports information directors and past winners. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage, and percentage of punts not returned.

In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the 10 semifinalists, who will be announced November 15. A national body of FBS sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on November 26. 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 2024.

Under the direction of 2023 Mountain West Coach of the Year Barry Odom, Nichols and the Rebels will kick off their 57th season of football on August 31 by heading to Big 12 Conference member Houston at 4 p.m. PT on FS1 in the first of a school-record 11 national TV games. The home opener comes one week later when Utah Tech comes to Allegiant Stadium for a noon kickoff on September 7.

Season tickets, three-game mini-plans and single-game tickets for the six-game 2024 home schedule are available now by visiting unlvtickets.com or calling (702) 739-FANS (3267). For information on VIP premium club seats or suites at Allegiant Stadium, contact the Premium Sales office at premiumseating@unlv.edu or by calling (702) 895-0292.

2024 RAY GUY AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Aaron Rodriguez, New Mexico
Alec Bevelhimer, Miami (OH)
Alex Mastromanno, Florida State
Brett Thorson, Georgia
Brian Buschini, Nebraska
Daniel Sparks, Virginia
Daton Montiel, FIU
Eddie Czaplicki, USC
Ivan Mora, Wake Forest
Jack Bouwmeester, Utah
Jack Browning, San Diego State
Jack Dawson, Jax State
James Burnip, Alabama
James Evans, Indiana
James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
Jesse Mirco, Vanderbilt
Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
Lachlan Wilson, California
Lucas Borrow, Ball State
Luke Elzinga, Oklahoma
Mark Vassett, Colorado
Marshall Nichols, UNLV
Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati
Mitchell Tomasek, Eastern Michigan
Nick Haberer, Washington State
Oliver Straw, West Virginia
Oscar Chapman, Auburn
Peter Moore, Virginia Tech
Riley Riethman, Navy
Riley Thompson, Penn State
Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
Ryan Hanson, James Madison
Stephen Kotsanlee, Utah State
Tyler Perkins, Iowa