Senior all-conference kicker Dario Aguiniga is one of 30 NCAA Division I-A place kickers named to the Lou Groza Watch List.
The Lou Groza Place Kicker Award is given annually to the top NCAA Division I-A kicker in the nation.
The watch list was announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and the Lou Groza Award Committee. The kickers on this list were chosen based on statistics from the 2002 season and preseason expectations.
Aguiniga, a native of Tijuana, Mexico and a graduate of San Diego, Calif. Marian Catholic High School, was a 2002 first team all-Sun Belt Conference selection and a 2003 preseason first team all-league selection.
Dario is a three-year starter and enters his senior season ranked third in career field goals made, just eight field goals short of setting a new school record. He needs six more field goals to tie Skip Vernon (39, 1975-78) and seven more to catch school record holder Dat Ly (40, 1987-90). Dario currently ranks sixth in career scoring with 196 points.
He needs just 51 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer. He enters the season having made 10 of his last 12 field goal attempts including five in-a-row. Aguiniga has made six consecutive fourth quarter field goals dating back to the 2001 season.
Last year, Aguiniga set a school record for most points by a kicker by leading the Aggies and the Sun Belt Conference with 83 points. His 83 points were the ninth most in Aggie history. His 17 field goals tied the school record for most field goals in a season set by Dat Ly in 1988. His 23 field goal attempts were also a school record.
The award will be announced Tuesday, December 9.