Nov. 6, 2006

WACO, Texas -- Baylor senior punter Daniel Sepulveda was named Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. Kansas State quarterback Joe Freeman was the offensive selection, while Nebraska linebacker Bo Ruud was chosen on defense.

Sepulveda, the 2004 Ray Guy Award winner and a 2006 Ray Guy Award semifinalist, established a Baylor single-game record with 49.6 yards per punt (record for game with 7-8 punts). He had four punts of 50-plus yards, including two 60-yard boots. Sepulveda also recorded four punts inside the Texas Tech 20 yard line.

With four against Texas Tech, Sepulveda broke Bill Smith's 20-year-old NCAA Division I record for career punts of 50-plus yards. Sepulveda now has 91 career punts of 50-plus yards, eclipsing the 88 amassed by Smith from 1983 to 1986 while at the University of Mississippi.

On the season, Sepulveda has 22 punts of 50-plus yards, four shy of his own school record. He also has seven punts of 60-plus yards, tying Buzzy Sawyer's single-season school record established in 1984. Sepulveda has punted 57 times this season; 38 of those (66.7 percent) have traveled 50-plus yards, been fair caught, resulted in touchbacks and/or were downs inside the opponent's 20.

Sepulveda owns at least a share of every Baylor punting record save longest punt. However, he and Larry Isbell are the only Baylor punters to ever record multiple punts of 78-plus yards.

This marks the second time in Sepulveda's career that he has been named Big 12 Player of the Week. He was so honored after last season's victory over Oklahoma State, in which he averaged 51.7 yards on six punts (school record for game with 5-6 punts).

Baylor returns to action Saturday, traveling to Stillwater, Okla., to face Oklahoma State. Kickoff between the Bears and the Cowboys is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CST at Boone Pickens Stadium. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net.