Western Kentucky kicker Lucas Carneiro is the 2024 Conference USA Preseason Football Special Teams Player of the Year, the league announced Monday.

CUSA’s preseason superlatives are voted on by the league’s 10 head coaches.

The redshirt sophomore from Cornelius, North Carolina, has already been named to the 2024 CUSA Preseason Watch List after receiving CUSA Honorable Mention and CUSA All-Freshman Team recognition last season.

Carneiro stepped into kicking duties for WKU in all 13 games during the 2023 season and went 9-of-12 on field goals during the season and a perfect 47-of-47 on PATs. Carneiro connected on two field goals in his debut against South Florida on Sept. 2 and was named Conference USA’s Special Teams Player of the Week, and hit a season-long 45-yard field goal during WKU’s 31-10 win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 28. He made the 29-yard game-winning field goal in WKU’s 38-35 overtime victory against Old Dominion during the Famous Toastery Bowl on Dec. 18.

It marks the fifth straight year WKU has had a player receive a CUSA Preseason Player of the Year honor. Carneiro is the first Hilltopper to be named CUSA Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year since Brayden Narveson received the recognition ahead of the 2022 season.

Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter was selected as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate and linebacker CJ Bazile Jr. was tabbed as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

WKU is scheduled to kick off the 2024 season with a 6 p.m. CT game at Alabama on Aug. 31.

The Hilltoppers will host Eastern Kentucky for their home opener on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m., and will open CUSA play the following week with a 6 p.m. CT game at Middle Tennessee on Sept. 14.