Senior punter Luke Freer from Air Force has been named one of ten semifinalists for the 2025 Ray Guy Award, which recognizes the top collegiate punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The announcement was made by the Augusta Sports Council, which selected the semifinalists from a pool of 92 nominees.
The Ray Guy Award committee evaluated candidates based on their overall statistics and contributions to their teams. Key factors included net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned. The winner is also expected to demonstrate leadership, self-discipline, and a positive impact on team success.
The list of semifinalists includes Brett Thorson (Georgia), Daniel Hughes (New Mexico), Dante Atton (Temple), Evan Crenshaw (Troy), Jackson Ross (Tennessee), James Rendell (Notre Dame), Luke Freer (Air Force), Nick Haberer (Vanderbilt), Palmer Williams (Baylor), and Tyler Perkins (Iowa State).
A national voting body consisting of FBS sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will select three finalists. Voting opens November 15 and closes November 23 at 8 p.m. ET. The three finalists will be announced on November 25. Afterward, another round of voting will determine the winner, who will be revealed live during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN on December 12.
Freer recently set a new Air Force record for career punting average during a game against Utah State. He punted three times for an average of 56.7 yards with a long punt of 60 yards. His first punt in that game gave him his fiftieth career attempt—the minimum required to qualify for school records—surpassing All-American Mark Simon’s previous record with a new mark of 45.9 yards per punt over his career. This season, Freer is averaging 45.8 yards per punt on nineteen attempts, with ten punts inside the twenty-yard line and seven exceeding fifty yards.
“The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy,” according to the organization.
The Augusta Sports Council is a non-profit focused on promoting Augusta as a destination for amateur sporting events through organizing various activities each year that contribute positively to the local economy and community quality of life. More information can be found at www.augustasportscouncil.org.
The Ray Guy Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which brings together some of college football’s most prominent awards since its inception in 1935; further details are available at NCFAA.org.
