AUGUSTA, Ga. – The preseason honors continue to roll in for EKU football as punter Jacob Baker was named to the Preseason Watchlist for the 2025 Punter of the Year Award by the Augusta Sports Council, which honors the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Championship Series (FCS).
 
The 11 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of FCS punters and were compiled based on the 2024 FCS Punter of the Year semifinalists, 2024 All-American, and All-Conference selections, and 2025 Preseason All-American and Preseason All-Conference selections.
 
A Preseason All-UAC selection this season, Baker's recognition comes after a stellar 2024 season in Richmond, as he led the United Athletic Conference as a redshirt freshman, posting a punting average of 43.7 yards per punt with 17 punts of 50 yards or longer (most in the UAC) while also having a long of 65 yards.
 
Along with his power, the Corbin, Ky. native showed precision with 24 punts downed inside the 20, the most in the UAC, as well as earning him First Team All-UAC honors.
 
The FCS Punter of the Year Award winner will be determined by the FCS Punter of the Year Award national voting body, which consists of FCS sports information directors and national sports writers.
 
About the FCS Punter of the Year Award
 
The Augusta Sports Council, also home to the Ray Guy Award (awarded to the best collegiate punter in the FBS), created the FCS Punter of the Year Award in 2019 to honor the best collegiate punter playing in the FCS. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.