TALLAHASSEE – Cal wide receivers senior Vic Wharton III and junior Kanawai Noa were named Thursday by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation to the preseason watch list for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award. The award is given annually to college football's outstanding receiver at any position. Wharton III (67-871, 5 TD) and Noa (56-788, 4 TD) combined for 123 receptions in 2017 to rank third among all returning FBS duos while their 1,659 yards receiving is seventh.

The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation will announce the ten Biletnikoff Award finalists on November 12, following the vote by the distinguished members of the Biletnikoff Award National selection committee. The three finalists will be declared on November 20.

The Biletnikoff Award winner will be announced live on December 6 on the Home Depot College Football Awards presented by Gildan show televised by ESPN. The winner will be presented with the Biletnikoff Award trophy at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium on February 16, 2019.

Wharton III and Noa are the third and fourth Cal players to earn spots on watch lists or be recognized as candidates for national awards in 2018 with the others senior running back Patrick Laird (Maxwell Award Watch List, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Nominee, Doak Walker Award Watch List) and senior inside linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (Lott IMPACT Trophy).

For more information visit BiletnikoffAward.com and facebook.com/BiletnikoffAward, or follow @BiletnikoffAwrd on Twitter.

Below are notes on Wharton III and Noa with extended bios available by clicking on their names.
 
Vic Wharton III, WR, 5-11, 190, Sr., 2L, Spring Hill, TN (Tennessee/Independence HS)
Pronunciation: WAR-ton
• A 2018 second-team preseason All-Pac-12 selection of Lindy's, as well as a third-team pick of Athlon and Phil Steele
• Played in 12 games and was the only Cal player to return a punt as a 2017 junior when he returned nine punts for 69 yards to give him career totals of 23 punt returns for 153 yards
• Also Cal's leading receiver as a junior with 67 catches and 871 yards receiving while adding five touchdown receptions
• Has contributed 95 career receptions for 1164 yards receiving that make him Cal's active career leader in both categories, while his seven touchdown catches rank second over 23 career games and 13 starts at Cal
• Has played in 32 career games with 15 starts including his 2014 true freshman season at Tennessee and combined for 100 receptions, 1232 yards receiving and eight touchdown catches
 
Kanawai Noa, WR, 6-0, 185, Jr., 2L, Honolulu, HI (Punahou HS)
Pronunciation: con-UH-vie
• A 2018 fourth-team preseason All-Pac-12 selection by Athlon
• Contributed career highs of 56 receptions, 788 yards receiving and four touchdown catches in 11 games played and nine starts as a 2017 sophomore
• Has played in 27 career games with 12 starts and contributed 66 receptions for 898 yards receiving and four touchdown catches, as well as four kick returns for 94 yards and three punt returns for 15 yards to total of 1007 all-purpose yards
 
The Biletnikoff Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The members of the NCFAA are unveiling preseason watch lists for 17 of their 24 awards over a 12-day period from July 16-27. Following is the entire 2018 preseason watch list calendar.
 
2018 Preseason Watch List Calendar
Monday, July 16 – Bednarik Award, Maxwell Award
Tuesday, July 17 – Davey O'Brien Award
Wednesday, July 18 – Doak Walker Award
Thursday, July 19 – Biletnikoff Award
Friday, July 20 – Mackey Award, Rimington Trophy
Monday, July 23 – Thorpe Award, Butkus Award
Tuesday, July 24 – Outland Trophy, Nagurski Award
Wednesday, July 25 – Groza Award, Ray Guy Award
Thursday, July 26 – Hornung Award, Wuerffel Trophy
Friday, July 27 – Walter Camp Award