Tom Sheldon

Position:
Punter
Height:
6-3
Weight:
205
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Echuca, Victoria, Australia

Left-footed punter from Australia who joined the team prior to the 2016 season and helped the Tar Heels lead the nation in punt return defense as a freshman.

2017 - Sophomore Season
Earned honorable mention All-ACC honors • Was on his way to having one of the finest punting seasons in school history before injuries cost him four of the final six games of the year • Had a 45.8-yard average across 45 punts, a mark that would have led the league if he’d had enough punts to qualify • Just missed the school record for single-game punting on two occasions, averaging 53.5 yards per punt against Louisville and 53.0 against Notre Dame (UNC mark of 54.4 yards per punt was set by Bud Wallace in 1950) • Returned against Pitt and punted three times with a long of 41 yards before suffering an injury that kept him out for the final two games of the year • Missed the Miami game due to injury • Averaged 48.2 yards across 10 punts with a long of 58 at Virginia Tech • Had three punts with a 53.0-yard average before leaving due to injury against Notre Dame • Punted six times for a 46.8-yard average with a long of 61 at Georgia Tech • Punted eight times for a 45.1-yard average and a long of 62 against Duke • In another solid performance, punted seven times for a 43.4-yard average and a long of 57 in the win at ODU • Had one of his best games as a Tar Heel, averaging 53.5 yards on four punts, including a career long of 66 yards, against Louisville • Earned Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week honors for his performance • Three of the four were downed inside the 20, including one downed at the UofL 1 • Booted four punts for 166 yards (41.5 yards per punt) and a long of 44 against Cal • All four punts were either fair caught or downed.

2016 - Freshman Season
Averaged 42.7 yards per punt en route to freshman All-America honors • Carolina ranked third in the ACC in net punting (40.2) and first nationally in punt return defense • Opponents returned nine punts for just two yards on the season • Had four punts for a 45.0-yard average in the Sun Bowl • Averaged 40.4 yards on five punts and had a long of 48 vs. NC State • Averaged 44.2 yards on four punts and had a long of 49 vs. The Citadel • Averaged 45.2 yards on four punts at Duke • Had one punt for 31 yards in a 48-20 win over Georgia Tech • Punted seven times for 262 yards (37.4 avg.) in the win at Virginia • Had a long of 47 against the Cavs • Punted five times for a 47.8 yard average in the win at No. 16 Miami • Punted once for 39 yards in the win at No. 12 Florida State • Punted just once (41 yards) in the win over JMU • Averaged 42.7 yards on three punts in heavy wind at Illinois • Boomed six punts for and average of 42.0 yards in the season opener vs. No. 18 Georgia • The Bulldogs had negative two yards on three punt returns.