NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana redshirt senior kicker Kenneth Almendares was named a Consensus All-American following his historic 2024 campaign.
The Lou Groza Award recipient became the first Ragin’ Cajuns player to earn the honor, as 1-of-27 student-athletes listed on the 2024 Consensus All-America team compiled by the NCAA. In addition to being Louisiana’s first-ever Consensus All-American, Almendares is the first Sun Belt honoree since Coastal Carolina defensive lineman Tarron Jackson in 2020.
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 (AFCA), Associated Press (AP), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), The Sporting News (TSN) and Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF).
Almendares earned First Team All-America status from the Associated Press and the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Second Team All-America recognition from the Football Writers Association of America.
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 on 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 on field goals from under 50 yards, with his lone misses on the season coming on 53 and 60-yard attempts.
Almendares led the Sun Belt and ranked 11th nationally in points scored (127) and holds both the Louisiana and Sun Belt Conference career records for most field goals made (68). The Clute, Texas, native also holds program records for career scoring (362) and PATs (158), along with single-season records for field goals made and points scored.
He had nine games on the season with 10 or more points scored, including eight straight contests. Almendares set the Sun Belt record for most field goals made in a season (27), en route to First Team All-Sun Belt honors.
Alongside Almendares, Sun Belt Player of the Year Marshall redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Mike Green and James Madison senior defensive back Terrence Spence earned All-America honors from at least one of the five organizations utilized by the NCAA to determine consensus and unanimous All-Americans.
Green received First Team All-America recognition from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Second Team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America. Spence reaped Second Team All-America accolades from the Football Writers Association of America.