STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Football punter
Charlie Mullen had already earned preseason all-conference accolades, but on Friday he earned an even more impressive honor.
Mullen was one of 14 punters nationwide named to the Augusta Sports Council's 2026 FCS Punter of the Year Award Preseason Watch List. This award honors the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Championship Series (FCS).
"The 14 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of FCS punters and were compiled based on previous FCS Punter of the Year semifinalists, 2025 All-American, and All-Conference selections, top performing punters, and 2026 Preseason All-American and Preseason All-Conference selections," Augusta Sports Council
announced in its release. "The FCS Punter of the Year Award winner will be determined by the FCS Punter of the Year Award national voting body, which consists of FCS sports information directors and national sports writers."
Mullen is the lone United Athletic Conference punter on the national list:
Liam Allen IV, Howard
Brandon Bowman, Campbell
Logan Chenette, Stonehill
Brady Clark, Princeton
Demetrion Duvall, Alcorn State
Ryan Marks, Utah Tech
Charlie Mullen, Tarleton State
Max Pelham, South Dakota State
Connor Poole, Lehigh
Emiliano Salazar, San Diego
Ben Shrewsbury, Virginia Military Institute
Luke Silvernale, North Dakota
Brett Starling, Hampton
Nathaniel Wallace-Dilling, UTRGV
Mullen enters his fifth season at Tarleton State. He was Tarleton State's lone punter last year, booting 54 punts to cover 2,108 yards, placing 21 inside the 20-yard line, with six 50+ yard punts. He had a season-long 57-yard boot in the FCS Playoffs against North Dakota.
About the FCS Punter of the Year Award
The Augusta Sports Council, also home to the Ray Guy Award (awarded to the best collegiate punter in the FBS), created the FCS Punter of the Year Award in 2019 to honor the best collegiate punter playing in the FCS. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.
About the Augusta Sports Council
The Augusta Sports Council (ASC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to marketing the Augusta, GA area as a destination for amateur sporting events. The ASC attracts, creates, and supports dozens of sporting events and activities each year, generating positive economic impact and enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Augusta's River Region. Visit www.augustasportscouncil.org to learn more.
