| No. 18 – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Punter |
| Class |  |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Hough (Cornelius, North Carolina) |
| College | North Carolina (2021–2023) Western Kentucky (2024–2025) |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at ESPN | |
Cole Maynard is an American college football punter for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. He was named a Consensus All-American in 2025.
Early life
[edit]Maynard is from Mooresville, North Carolina, and is the son of former NFL punter Brad Maynard.[1] He attended William A. Hough High School where he played football as a placekicker and punter, being used for kickoffs, punts and longer field goals.[2] He played two seasons at Hough.[3] After high school, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to play college football.[3]
College career
[edit]Maynard played in one game as a true freshman at UNC in 2021 and redshirted, posting one punt for 46 yards.[3] He then had one punt in 2022 while appearing in 14 games as a holder before recording one punt in 2023 while playing in 11 games as a holder.[3] Maynard transferred to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (WKU) in 2024 and became their starting punter, averaging 42.7 yards per punt with a long of 60 while playing in all 14 games.[4] He remained WKU's punter in 2025 and finished the regular season with an average of 48.7 yards per punt, a mark that placed first nationally.[5] He was named first-team All-Conference USA, the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year, and a Consensus All-American.[5][6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Cole Maynard". Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
- ^ Lyttle, Steve (March 12, 2021). "Hough I-Meck 4A victory has Lake Norman seeing red". The Charlotte Observer.
- ^ a b c d "Cole Maynard". North Carolina Tar Heels.
- ^ "Tops' Maynard named to Ray Guy Award Watch List". Bowling Green Daily News. August 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "Maynard named AP All-America first-team punter". WNKY. December 15, 2025.
- ^ "Maynard Named Consensus All-American". Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. December 19, 2025.