NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt long snapper Julian Ashby has been named to the 30-player watch list for the Patrick Mannelly Award, given annually to the nation’s top long snapper. The graduate student will be in his first season with the Commodores this fall.
With Ashby’s selection to the Mannelly Award Watch List, it marks three consecutive seasons Vanderbilt has placed its long snapper on the preseason watch list. Wesley Schelling was on the list in 2022 and ’23.
Ashby spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Furman, making 363 snaps over that time for the Paladins. Last year, he was one of 15 finalists for the FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, given to the FCS student-athlete who excels on the playing field, in the classroom and across the community.
The Lilburn, Georgia, native was a three-time selection to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and a two-time selection to the Southern Conference All-Academic Team. In addition, he was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District pick in 2022.
He graduated from Furman with a degree in physics before enrolling at Vanderbilt in January 2024.
Ashby and the Commodores open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 when Virginia Tech visits FirstBank Stadium (11 a.m. on ESPN). Ticket information is available here.
