The historic 2024 season for Louisiana’s Kenneth Almendares added another prestigious honor to his resume – Consensus All-American.
The senior place-kicker and Lou Groza Award winner became the first Ragin’ Cajun to be honored as he was named as one of 27 players nationally on the 2024 Consensus All-America team released by the NCAA on Thursday.
To be selected, a player must be named first team on at least two of the five selected All-America teams – American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation.
Almendares earned first-team All-America honors by the Associated Press and Walter Camp Foundation and was a second-team selection by the Football Writers Association of America.
The postseason honor was the eighth this season for Almendares, who was also honored by CBS Sports, USA Today, Hero Sports G5 and The Athletic.
The national FBS leader in field goals made (27) and field goals made per game (2.08), Almendares was ninth in the country in field goal percentage converting of 27 of 29 attempts (.931).
On pace to become the third kicker since 2008 to lead the nation in field goals while maintaining 90-percent accuracy, Almendares was 25-for-25 on the season in field goals from under 50 yards with his lone misses on the season coming from 53 (right) and 60 (left) yards.
Almendares led the Sun Belt Conference and was 11th nationally in points scored (127) and holds both the UL and SBC career record for most field goals made (68). He also set UL career records for scoring (362) and PATs (158) along with single-season records in field goals made and points.
Louisiana (10-3) will face Big 12 member TCU (8-4) on December 28 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, N.M. Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CT and will be televised live on ESPN.
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