Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns kicker Kenneth Almendares picked up national honors on Wednesday when he was named to The Athletic’s 2024 All-America football team.
Almendares, a Lou Groza finalist and national FBS leader in field goals made, earned second-team All-America honors on the publication’s 50-member squad.
The senior has converted on 27 of 29 field goals on the season to rank ninth among FBS kickers in accuracy (.931). The Clute, Texas native remains on pace to become the third kicker since 2008 to lead the nation in field goals while maintaining 90-percent accuracy
Almendares went 25-for-25 on the season in field goals from under 50 yards with his lone misses coming from 53 (right) and 60 (left) yards. The SBC leader and 11th nationally in points scored (127), Almendares holds both the UL and SBC career record for most field goals made (68) and holds the UL record for career scoring (362) and PATs (158)
The UL single-season record holder in field goals made and points, Almendares had nine games during the season with 10 or more points, including eight straight contests. He set the Sun Belt record for most field goals made in a season (27) and recorded four games with three or more field goals.
Louisiana (10-3), which will make its school-record seventh straight trip to bowl game, will face Big 12 member in the 19th annual Isleta New Mexico Bowl on December 28 in Albuquerque, N.M. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here [apps.apple.com] for iOS/Apple platforms and here [play.google.com] for Android platforms.
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB) to stay up-to-date on Louisiana Football.
THE ATHLETIC’S ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Cam Ward, Miami
RB – Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
RB – Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
WR – Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
WR – Xavier Restrepo, Miami
TE – Tyler Warren, Penn State
OL – Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
OL – Will Campbell, LSU
OL – Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
OL – Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
C – Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE – Abdul Carter, Penn State
DE – Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
DT – Mason Graham, Michigan
DT – Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
LB – Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
LB – Jay Higgins, Iowa
LB – Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
CB – Jahdae Barron, Texas
CB – Nohl Williams, California
S – Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
S – Caleb Downs, Ohio State
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K – Dominic Zvada, Michigan
P – Eddie Czaplicki, USC
AP – Travis Hunter, Colorado
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
RB – Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
RB – Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
WR – Nick Nash, San Jose State
WR – Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
TE – Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
OL – Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
OL – Kage Casey, Boise State
OL – Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL – Willie Lampkin, North Carolina
C – Cooper Mays, Tennessee
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DE – Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
DE – Mikail Kamara, Indiana
DT – Derrick Harmon, Oregon
LB – Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
LB – Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
LB – Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
LB – Jackson Woodard, UNLV
CB – D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana
CB – Chandler Rivers, Duke
S – Malaki Starks, Georgia
S – Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K – Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana
P – Alex Mastromanno, Florida State
AP – Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
