Oregon's Hroniss Grasu is one of 44 players on the Rimington watch list. (USATSI)
Oregon center Hroniss Grasu is one of 44 on the Rimington watch list. (USATSI)

The Rimington Award, which honors the nation's top center, released its 44-man 2013 watch list on Tuesday.

Seventeen players return from the 2012 watch list. Sorted by conference, the SEC leads the way with nine players, while the PAC-12 and Mountain West Conference check in with five candidates each.

The winner will be honored at the Rimington Trophy presentation banquet on Jan. 11, at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Neb.

Here's the list:

David Andrews, Georgia

Russell Bodine, North Carolina

Evan Boehm, Missouri

Jake Brendel, UCLA

Betim Bujari, Rutgers

Ben Clarke, Hawaii

Sean Conway, Western Kentucky

Dillon Day, Mississippi State

Reese Dismukes, Auburn

Dominic Espinosa,Texas

Dillon Farrell, New Mexico

Jay Finch, Georgia Tech

B.J. Finney, Kansas State

Matt Galas, Nevada

Bryce Giddens, Arkansas RazorbacksArkansas State

Hroniss Grasu, Oregon

Gus Handler, Colorado

Jonotthan Harrison, Florida

Andre Huval, Louisiana-Lafayette

Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma

Travis Jackson, Michigan State

David Kekuewa , Bowling Green

Ryan Kelly, Alabama

Zac Kerin,Toledo

Kody Koebensky, Arizona State

Tyler Larsen, Utah State

Taylor Lasecki, SMU

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Macky MacPherson, Syracuse

Mike Marboe, Idaho

Shane McDermott, Miami

Cole Pensick, Nebraska

Ryan Powis, Army

Bryce Redman, Houston

Austin Reiter, USF

Weston Richburg, Colorado State

Isaac Seumalo, Oregon State

James Stone, Tennessee

Bryan Stork, Florida State

Travis Swanson, Arkansas

Evan Swindall, Mississippi

Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, New Mexico State

Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern

Robert Waterman, UNLV