| Jeremy Kapinos. |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 21, 2006 - Senior Jeremy Kapinos (Springfield, Va.) has been selected Penn State??s first finalist for the Ray Guy Award, presented to the nation??s top punter.
One of the top punters in Penn State history, Kapinos is one of three finalists for the seventh annual honor. Earlier this month, he became the first Nittany Lion to be selected a semifinalist for the award, which is named for Ray Guy, an outstanding punter with Southern Miss and the NFL??s Oakland Raiders. The award is presented by the Greater Augusta (Ga.) Sports Council.
The other finalists for the honor are Georgia Tech??s Durant Brooks and Baylor??s Daniel Sepulveda. The Ray Guy Award winner will be announced on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 7 in Orlando, Fla. The program will air on ESPN from 7-9 p.m.
A second team All-Big Ten choice, Kapinos is joined by Nittany Lion teammates Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor as national award finalists. Posluszny is a finalist for the Butkus, Bednarik and Rotary Lombardi Awards and Connor also is finalist for the Bednarik Award, presented to the nation??s top defensive player.
A total of 47 punters were nominated for the 2006 Ray Guy Award. Each player was evaluated on his overall statistics and contribution to the team. Particular emphasis was placed on the following categories: net average, percentage of total punts inside the 20-yard line, average return yardage, and percentage not returned.
A four-year starter, Kapinos is Penn State??s career leader in punts (247) and punting yardage (10,326). His 41.8 career average is tied for second at Penn State and he owns four of the top seven game averages in school history.
Kapinos has been an unsung hero for the Nittany Lion defense, which is ranked in the Top 15 nationally in the four primary categories. For the season, he is averaging 42.2 yards on 57 punts, with 19 kicks inside the 20, 12 fair catches and only 10 touchbacks.
His season long punt of 68 yards came at Ohio State, on a day when he posted a 50.5-yard average on six punts and stuck the Buckeyes inside their own 20-yard-line on three occasions to earn conference honors.
An All-Met selection at West Springfield High School, his 42.2 average is seventh highest in school season history. He ranks third in the Big Ten and 23rd nationally with his 42.2 average.
Penn State opponents have just 23 punt returns for a 4.6 average, with a long return of 17 yards.
Kapinos was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season, bringing his career total to four selections, tied for fourth-highest since the conference began honoring players of the week in 1987.
Coach Joe Paterno??s Nittany Lions concluded the regular season with an 8-4 record (No. 25 BCS) and will be playing in their 33rd bowl game under the legendary coach.