UAlbany's Layton and Kirchner Named to CPFA Watch Lists

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. - Paul Layton was named to the 2012 College Performance Football Awards Punter Watch List, while Ryan Kirchner was placed on the CPFA Punt Returner Watch List as announced by the organization. Layton is one of 36 punters, while Kirchner is among 36 other FCS punt returners on the list, from which national winners will be chosen at the conclusion of the 2012 season.

Layton, who hails from Burnt Hills, N.Y., finished the season sixth among the nation's punting leaders with a 42.6 average. He booted 17 kicks of 50 or more yards this season, and was named the Great Danes' Most Valuable Special Teams Player at the team banquet. Layton, who was named a 2011 ECAC Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Special Team All-Star, was also named to the Northeast Conference First Team, and was the league's Special Teams Player of the Week on two occasions.

Kirchner, who will be a senior wide receiver in the fall, was UAlbany's leading receiver last season with 56 catches for 615 yards and 10 touchdowns. Kirchner is fourth on the program's career receptions list with 122, and needs just three more receptions to move into third place. He also returned 22 punts with a long of 36 yards. Kirchner was named to the All-Northeast Conference Second Team

The goal of College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams.

As prominent scholars from a wide variety of disciplines note, CFPA eliminates the politics and biases that vitiate balloting-based awards. Furthermore, CFPA has received praise from both Republican and Democratic White House officials for promoting objectivity and fairness in college football.