CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- College Football Performance Awards, the largest awards organization in D-I college football, recently announced its watch list for the 2013 CFPA Punter Award, and it includes Georgia Southern punter Luke Cherry. The preliminary watch list highlights 32 returning performers, vying for the top individual punter award in the Football Championship Subdivision.

"Congratulations to Luke Cherry on earning a spot on the 2013 CFPA Watch List," said CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith. "Cherry will be one of the nation's top punters to watch in 2013."

With 45 punts last year, Cherry ranks in the top 10 for Georgia Southern in career punts and career punting yards. He had eight punts for 330 yards in the Eagles' win over Samford in 2012 with a long of 54 in that game. He also handled primary kickoff duties.

Three Georgia Southern stars have earned CFPA national post-season honors, including two for their efforts as specialists: Adrian Mora (CFPA FCS Placekicker Award), Laron Scott (CFPA FCS Kickoff Returner Award), and Brent Russell (CFPA FCS Elite Defensive Tackle Award).

All CFPA recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. All players are eligible for awards at their respective positions; players are not preemptively eliminated from consideration.

More than 130 CFPA recipients have signed professional contracts, and 21 have been first-round NFL Draft selections. CFPA recipients performing as NFL punters include: Bryan Anger (California), Chas Henry (Florida), Shawn Powell (Florida State), Quinn Sharp (Oklahoma State), Brandon McManus (Temple), and Patrick Murray (Fordham).

Last season, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel earned the 2012 CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy, while Harvard quarterback Colton Chapple earned the 2012 CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy. Multiple award presentations were broadcast live nationally on ESPN, CBS, Fox Sports, Big Ten Network, Pac 12 Network, as well as internationally on BYUtv.

The full list of 2013 recipients, including the 2013 CFPA FCS Awards, will be announced on January 8, 2014.

Additional information is available on the Official CFPA Website (http://www.collegefootballperformance.com) and fans can follow CFPA on Twitter @CFPerformance. Additional information is available on the official CFPA Website (http://www.collegefootballperformance.com) and fans can follow CFPA on Twitter @CFPerformance. Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.