NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt’s Nick Haberer is a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award it was announced by the Augusta Sports Council on Friday. He’s the second Commodore to make the final 10 in voting for the award in the last three seasons, joining Matthew Hayball.
Semifinalists for the award given to the nation’s best collegiate punter in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) were selected from a field of 92 nominated candidates. Candidates were evaluated by the Ray Guy Award committee on their overall statistics and contribution to the team with a particular emphasis placed on net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team’s success.
Haberer—who hails from Sunshine Coast, Australia—has recorded an average of 46.9 yards per punt this season with nine of his 21 kicks ending up inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. He has seven punts of 50-plus yards with a long of effort of 57 yards, with opponents able to return just five of his kicks. Haberer would rank 10th in the country in punting average but falls short of the minimum 3.6 punts per game to qualify.
His efforts, however, have been key to the Commodores currently standing eighth in the country with a net average of 43.38 yards per punt.
Three finalists for the Ray Guy Award will be named on Nov. 25.
Haberer and the Dores, who have an 8-2 record through their first 10 contests of a season for the first time since 1930, return to action on Nov. 22 with a 2:30 p.m. matchup against Kentucky on the program’s annual Senior Day.
