Fred Mitchell Award

The Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place Kicker Award is proud to announce Gabe Panikowski as the most Outstanding Place Kicker for his excellence on the football field for the 2024 season, and for continued community service during his collegiate career. The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, the All-American place-kicker from Wittenberg University and 41-year sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune. “We are thrilled to announce Idaho State junior Gabe Panikowski as the 2024 winner of the Fred Mitchell Award, which recognizes the top placekicker among over 750 non-FBS colleges in America. His combination of accuracy (15 for 15, 100 percent)... Read More

The top 10 finalists for the 2024 Fred Mitchell Award have been announced by co-chairmen Rob Perry and Matt Cotiguala. In alphabetical order, the finalists are Chris Campos from Stephen F. Austin, Christian Casillas (College of DuPage), Johan Edwards (Evangel University), Dieter Kelley (College of San Mateo), Gabe Panikowski (Idaho State), DC Pippin (Southeast Missouri State), Hunter Ridley (UC Davis), Zach Schreiner (Sacramento State), Seth Simpson (Baker University) and Mathias Uribe (Portland State). The winner of the award will be announced next week when Fred Mitchell appears on WSCR-AM 670 during the Mully & Haugh morning sports talk radio show... Read More

The Fred Mitchell Award is pleased to recognize non-FBS placekickers for excellence through the end of October 2024, in alphabetical order. “The first two months of this season has seen some exceptional kicking that we are more than pleased to recognize,” said Fred Mitchell. “The 37-person Selection Committee will continue to monitor on-field performances, as well as the community service contributions of these remarkable individuals.” The breakdown of the 41 place-kickers is as follows: CHRISTOPHER BALDAZO – SophomoreArkansas Tech University – Junior MIKE BALOGASUNY Cortland (NY) – DIII ANTHONY BEITKO – SeniorCalifornia University (Pa.) – NCAA Division II (DII) ANDREW... Read More

The Fred Mitchell Award recognizes 61 placekickers for their excellence on the football field throughout the 2024 season and for their off-field contributions throughout the year. We’re excited to help celebrate their achievements as shared by their schools and coaches. The Fred Mitchell Award will recognize kickers that were nominated by their schools or are at the top of their division for terrific performances through November 23, 2024 (regular season statistics only). The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be announced in mid-December based on performance on the football field and in the community. “The Kickoff Watch List for the... Read More

By CAROLE CARLSON The Gary Sports Hall of Fame grew by six new members, including a former NBA player, two MLB players and a woman who spent 20 years as a leader of the Indiana High School Athletic Association. The Class of 2024 inductees include NBA player Winston Garland, baseball players Wallace Johnson and Nick Strincevich, girls’ sports advocate Mildred Morgan Ball, journalist and football kicker Fred B. Mitchell, and basketball player and college administrator Emanuel “Manny” Newsome. The induction ceremony was July 19 at the Indiana University Northwest Arts and Sciences building auditorium. “This is a wonderful initiative to... Read More

The Fred Mitchell Award recognizes 40 placekickers for their excellence on the football field throughout the 2023 season and for their off-field contributions throughout the year. The Fred Mitchell Award will recognize kickers that were nominated by their schools or are at the top of their division for terrific performances through November 23, 2024 (regular season statistics only). The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be announced in December based on performance on the football field and in the community.  “The 2024 college football season is right around the corner and the Fred Mitchell Award selection committee is delighted to... Read More

Congratulations to Matt Cotiguala for becoming co-chairman of the Fred Mitchell Award selection committee, joining incumbent Rob Perry. Matt was the 2015 winner of the Fred Mitchell Award for his kicking exploits and exceptional community involvement. As co-chairman of the FMA Selection Committee, Cotiguala will assist Perry with the daunting task of identifying worthy candidates for the preseason Watch List, monthly recognition kickers and ultimately the Top Ten selectees and the winner. “I love to be able to help out and keep things running smoothly,” Cotiguala said. The current Selection Committee consists of 38 individuals who range from former Hall of... Read More

Fred Mitchell is an award-winning sportswriter and columnist who spent over 41 years with the Chicago Tribune. He is the author of 12 books, including biographies with Bears Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Richard Dent and Cubs Hall of Farmers Billy Williams and Ryan Sandberg. Hired in 1974 as the Tribune’s first African-American sportswriter, Mitchell’s stack of accolades encompass the Bill Gleason Outstanding Sportswriter of the Year, the NABJ pioneer award, the Chicago Public League Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Gale Sayers Foundation “Outstanding Journalist Award.” Each year since 2009, the National Football Foundation gives “The Fred... Read More

The Fred Mitchell Outstanding Placekicker Award is proud to announce Landon Reeves as the most outstanding placekicker for his excellence on the football field for the 2023 season, and for continued community service during his collegiate career. “Landon Reeves has emerged as the winner of the 2023 Fred Mitchell Award after one of the most highly-contested balloting for the national honor,” Mitchell said. “Reeves’ exceptional kicking performances and dedicated commitment to community service make him a worthy recipient in the eyes of our Selection Committee. We look forward to recognizing Landon’s accomplishment in Chicago at the National Football Foundation award... Read More

The Fred Mitchell Award is proud to recognize its top 10 placekickers for excellence on the football field and continued community service throughout the year. “Our selection committee is impressed with the remarkable quality of the kickers in contention for the 2023 Fred Mitchell Award,” said Mitchell. “Exceptional kicking performances and genuine commitment to community service make this Top 10 Finalist group stand out.”  It is a pleasure to recognize kickers that were nominated by their schools or are at the top of their division for terrific performances through Nov. 25, 2023 (regular season statistics only). The recipient of the... Read More