CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami Hurricanes senior Francisco "Kiko" Mauigoa was named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, as announced Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America.

The watch list features 75 players from 56 schools in nine Division I FBS conferences, plus independents, as contenders for the national defensive player of the year.

Last year, Mauigoa emerged as one of the top linebackers in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

An All-ACC Second Team pick in 2023, Mauigoa started all 13 games and led Miami with 82 tackles.

Mauigoa posted a team-best 18 tackles for loss to go along with 7.5 tackles for sacks in his first campaign in the orange and green after two seasons at Washington State.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound defensive standout is the fourth Hurricane to receive preseason recognition, joining running back Damien Martinez, wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, and quarterback Cam Ward, who were all tabbed to the Maxwell Award watch list Monday.

The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2024 trophy on Nov. 20 and the winner will be unveiled Dec. 9 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C. The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota.

Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time.

Courtesy of Miami Athletics

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