Aug. 26, 2008

The Lou Groza Award announced its 30-person watch list for the 2008 season and the list is highlighted by four Conference USA selections. The award is given annually to the nation's top placekicker and C-USA is represented by UTEP senior Jose Martinez, a finalist for the award last season, Houston senior Ben Bell, Memphis junior Matt Reagan and Tulsa senior Jarod Tracy.

Martinez was a first team All-Conference USA selection by the coaches and was second team by the media. He tied for 30th in the country in field goals, averaging 1.4 per game and was also 52nd nationally in scoring (7.9 ppg). Martinez finished the year 17-for-20 on field goals and 44-for-46 on PATs for a total of 95 points. He hit 9-of-11 field goal attempts from 40 yards or more with both misses coming from 50+ yards. Martinez averaged 65.5 yards on 62 kickoffs with 19 touchbacks and had the third-most field goals and PATs in a season in UTEP history. He was a two-time Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his performances versus East Carolina and Houston, tying the school record by making five field goals against the Pirates and setting a C-USA record by connecting on a 57-yard field goal vs. the Cougars.

Last season, Bell was chosen to the Groza Award's preseason watch list but was red-shirted and did not kick at all in 2007. As a sophomore in 2006, Bell was selected by the media to the Conference USA Second Team after scoring a team- and career-high 93 points, as he helped lead the Cougars to the C-USA title that season. Bell also picked up honorable mention, all-league accolades by the conference coaches and twice was named the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week.

Reagan was twice named the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week in 2007. He led the Tigers in scoring with 80 points, and averaged 6.2 points per game. For the year, he hit 15 of his 22 field goal attempts and converted 35 of his 38 PATs. He finished the season ranked fourth in C-USA in field goals made per game and ninth in scoring by kickers. Reagan, who hit multiple field goals in four games, finished the season tied for 60th nationally in field goals. In just two seasons in a Tiger uniform, Reagan ranks 13th all-time in scoring with 141 points.

Tracy played in all 14 games last season, making 7-of-12 field goals and 73-of-76 PATs. His 73 PATs made established a new single-season school record. Tracy converted two field goals vs. BYU, including a season-long 45-yarder. In 33 career games, he has career totals of 18-of-25 field goals and 124-of-129 PATs. Tracy ranks 10th on the school's career field goals made list, and enters the 2008 season needing one more to tie for ninth place. He has scored 178 career points .

The Lou Groza Award, which is sponsored by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, is presented to the nation's top kicker. The 30 kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2007 season and 2008 preseason expectations. Weekly, beginning Sept. 8, the award recognizes the three outstanding kickers of the week based on the previous week's play.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award announces its 20 semi-finalists on Nov. 11. From this list, a panel of over 300 experts selects the top three finalists for the award by Nov. 26. That same group then selects the national winner which will be announced on Dec. 11 during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show broadcast live from Orlando.