Dec. 20, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky senior linebacker Avery Williamson and sophomore punter Landon Foster earned praise recently from ESPN.com for their strong performances in 2013, with Williamson being named to the All-Southeastern Conference second team and Foster an All-SEC underclassmen team honoree.
The honor was the fifth time Williamson has been given praise for his senior season over the past couple of weeks. Williamson was also named second-team All-SEC by the Associated Press, league coaches and Athlon Sports, while College Sports Madness named him a first-team All-SEC performer.
Williamson finished 2013 as UK’s leading tackler for the second consecutive year, posting 102 total tackles to rank tied for fourth in the SEC in that category. The senior had four tackles for loss, one sack, three quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries. The linebacker finished his career with 296 total tackles. Williamson, who played in 49 career games with 24 starts, had double-digit tackles in four games in 2013 and ended his career with 12 double-digit tackle games.
The star linebacker began the season as a third-team Preseason All-SEC honoree by league coaches and media, while College Sports Madness and Phil Steele’s College Football named him a second-team Preseason All-SEC member. Williamson was also named to the Butkus Award Watch List for the nation’s best linebacker, College Football Performance Awards Linebacker Trophy Watch List and Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, which honors players who have made the biggest impact on their teams both on the field and off.
Williamson, who was captain in all 12 games for UK, was named a candidate for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award and a member of the SEC Community Service Team.
Foster had a strong 2013 season, punting 68 times for a 41.3 average, including seven punts of 50-plus yards. The sophomore had one of his best games of the season against highly ranked Alabama, where he had eight punts for a 44.8 yards-per-punt average, including a then-career high tying 58-yard punt. Foster booted a 59-yard punt against Vanderbilt to set a new career high.
In just his second season with Kentucky, Foster already qualifies for UK’s career punting average record list, ranking third all-time with a 42.0 yards-per-punt average. The Franklin, Tenn., native started the year as a third-team Preseason All-SEC selection by College Sports Madness and fourth-team Preseason All-SEC by Phil Steele’s College Football. Foster was also named one of 85 candidates for the 2013 Ray Guy Award, which annually honors the nation’s best punter.
