LAKE CHARLES - McNeese freshman punter Finn Lappin is one of 30 FCS freshmen to be named to the in-season watch list for the Stats Perform 2024 Jerry Rice Award which honors the FCS Freshman of the Year.
 
Lappin is the only player on the list to represent the Southland Conference.
 
Through eight games, Lappin currently leads the league and is ranked No. 3 in the FCS in with a 47.8 punting average. He's also 1st in the conference and 16th in the FCS in net punting with a 40.5 average.
 
His current average of 47.8 is four yards longer than the single-season school record of 43.8 (Alex Kjellsten, 2018; Don Stump, 1979) and is more than 1-yard longer than the current SLC single-season record (46.7 by Joe Zema of UIW set in 2017).
 
A native of Melbourne, Austrailia, Lappin has booted 18 punts that have gone for 50 yards or more on the season, 13 more than the Cowboys had all of last season.
 
He's recorded three punts of 60 yards or more and has had 11 downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
The Rice Award, now in its 14th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
 
To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first academic year or second if he did not surpass four regular-season games played in the true freshman season (the NCAA redshirt rule). More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner following the regular season.
 
The 2024 Jerry Rice Award recipient will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas. Other awards at the banquet are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
Players joining the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which includes both true and redshirt freshmen:
 
Josh Anglin, North Alabama, LB, 6-0, 215, Buford, Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
David Avit, Villanova, RB, 6-0, 220, Potomac, Maryland (CAA Football)
Charles Battaglia, Stonehill, LB, 6-1, 225, Massapequa, New York (Northeast Conference)
CharMar Brown, North Dakota State, RB, 5-11, 224, Omaha, Nebraska (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Matt Childs, Brown, RB, 6-0, 200, Medway, Massachusetts (Ivy League)
Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State, RB, 5-9, 185, Washington, D.C. (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Carson Conklin, Sacramento State, QB, 6-1, 180, Yorba Linda, California (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, S, 6-0, 208, Bellefonte, Delaware (Southern Conference)
Sanders Ellis, Tennessee State, LB, 6-2, 225, Nashville (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Jalen Fletcher, North Alabama, RB, 5-7, 175, Trinity, Alabama (United Athletic Conference)
Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington, S, 6-0, 188, Pasadena, California (Big Sky Conference)
Steve Hall, Lindenwood, RB, 5-9, 195, St. Louis (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Trey Hedden, Furman, QB, 6-3, 231, Tampa, Florida (Southern Conference)
Jamarie Hostzclaw, Alabama State, RB, 5-9, 176, North Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Collin Hurst, Presbyterian, QB, 5-10, 165, Davie, Florida (Pioneer Football League)
Adam Jones, Montana State, RB, 6-1, 200, Missoula, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Ayden Jones, Prairie View A&M, LB, 6-2, 215, Houston (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Finn Lappin, McNeese, P, 5-11, 178, Melbourne, Australia (Southland Conference)
Cole Nilles, Bryant, LB, 6-4, 252, Philadelphia (CAA Football)
Elijah Owens, Indiana State, QB, 6-2, 225, Jacksonville, Illinois (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
AJ Pigford, Princeton, DE, 6-3, 230, Snellville, Georgia (Ivy League)
Brennan Ridley, Hampton, WR, 5-11, 177, Richmond, Virginia (CAA Football)
Jayden Robertson, Southern Utah, CB, 5-10, 180, Henderson, Nevada (United Athletic Conference)
Isaac Saffold, Georgetown, DE, 6-1, 285, Chicago (Patriot League)
Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State, RB/Returns, 5-8, 165, Atlanta (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Tariq Thomas, Bucknell, RB, 5-11, 185, Springfield, Massachusetts (Patriot League)
TJ Thomas Jr., Elon, RB, 5-8, 181, Thomasville, Georgia (CAA Football)
Drew VanVleet, Dayton, QB, 6-5, 205, Richmond, Indiana (Pioneer Football League)
Jack Wagner, Idaho, QB, 6-4, 190, Tualatin, Oregon (Big Sky Conference)
Dallas Winner-Johnson, Missouri State, LB, 6-5, 230, St. Louis (Missouri Valley Football Conference)