The national panel of college football experts assembled by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission has selected the three finalists for the 33rd Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. Kenneth Almendares of Louisiana, Ryan Fitzgerald of Florida State, and Alex Raynor of Kentucky will vie for the honor.
Almendares, a senior from Clute, Texas, leads all FBS kickers with 25 field goals made this season. Coming on 27 attempts, if he can maintain the national lead while at his current 92.6% rate, he would become just the third kicker since 2008 to post the most field goals in the country while also connecting at 90% accuracy. His two misses came on attempts from 53 and 60 yards. This season he became the Sun Belt Conference’s all-time leading field goal kicker and the leading scorer in Louisiana program history.
Fitzgerald, a senior from Coolidge, Georgia, is still a perfect 12-for-12 on the season, giving him the most field goals by a kicker yet to miss. He joins 2013 Lou Groza Award winner Roberto Aguayo as the only kickers in Florida State history to begin a season with at least 12 consecutive makes. Even more impressive, 5 of those dozen field goals have come from long distance, including a 59 yarder that stands as the 6th longest kick in FBS this season. That long is joined by successful kicks from 56, 54, 53 and 52 yards.
Raynor, a senior from Kennesaw, Georgia, set numerous program records this season, including making his first 15 attempts before missing for the first time just this week. Combined with his finish to last year, he had made a program-record 18 consecutive field goals, the sixth-longest streak in SEC history. That run included the longest field goal in Kentucky’s history, a 55 yarder that came as part of a 4-for-4 performance against then top-ranked Georgia in which he scored every Wildcat point.
This year, fans can have their part in naming the winner of the Lou Groza Award. Fans can visit www.lougrozaaward.com and cast a vote for their favorite of the three finalists selected by the national panel of voters. The finalist who receives the greatest total of fan votes will be given one vote on the final ballot. One vote can make a difference in the outcome, so fans are encouraged to participate.
This year’s finalists were selected by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers. These finalists will be honored at the 33rd annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 9th in Palm Beach County. The same voting panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 12th. For more information on the Lou Groza Award and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, visit www.palmbeachsports.com.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 32 finalists, including 17 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home 7 Super Bowls. That list includes 2024 NFL kickers Daniel Carlson Jake Elliott, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Joshua Karty, Younghoe Koo, Jake Moody, Will Reichard and Cairo Santos.
National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards, and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.
About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and a local membership program that supports its goals. Local, regional, national, and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.
