Fred Mitchell Award 2017 Watch List announced
The Fred Mitchell Award recognizes 36 place-kickers for their excellence on the football field during the 2016 season and for continued community service during their off-season. “I am looking forward to the 2017 college football season with much anticipation as another group of outstanding candidates for our annual national kicking award display their talents on and off the field,” Mitchell said. “We have had a number of previous winners and Top 10 finalists kick in the NFL and the Canadian Football League. More importantly, members of our esteemed selection committee are proud of the community-minded young men that are recognized and continue to make positive contributions throughout the country.” The Award’s Selection Committee Chairman Rob Perry added, “The quality of person that the Fred Mitchell Award continues to attract and celebrate remains high. We’re all very excited to see the on and off-field accomplishments of the fine young men on this list throughout the 2017 season and beyond.”
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 season’s watch lists and updates may also be found on Facebook (facebook.com/132497086863493), and on Twitter at @kickeruww.
The breakdown of the 35 place-kickers is as follows:
- Collegiate Division – 6 FCS, 12 Division II, 11 Division III, 2 NAIA, and 4 NJCAA
- State – the place-kickers play at schools located in 23 different states (AL, AR, CA (2), CT, GA, IL (3), IN (2), KS (4), KY, MA (2), MD, MI (2), MN, MS, NJ, NY, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN (2), TX (2), and WI (2))
- Year – 14 Seniors, 9 Juniors, 11 Sophomores, and 1 Freshman
Watch List Players
NINO ALIBEGIC
Independence Community College (Kan.) – NJCAA
COLE ANTLEY
Ouachita Baptist University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) – D-II
TRISTAN BAILEY
Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) – NJCAA
BRADLY BATES
Campbellsville University (Ky.) – NAIA
ALEX BEEKMAN
Pacific University (Ore.) – Division III
JORDAN BENNETT
University of West Alabama – Division II
MATT BLAIR
University of California – Davis – FCS
WILL BRAZILL
California (Penn.) – Division II
LANE CLARK
Tennessee State – FCS
LIAM CROTTY
North Central College (Ill.) – Division III
DARREN FORD
Hope College (Mich.) – Division III
WYATT FORD
Ferris State University (Mich.) – Division II
MATTHEW HAITE
Stonehill College (Mass.) – Division II
NATHAN HIERLIHY
University of Redlands (Calif.) – Division III
CHRISTIAN KAPP
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.) – DIVISION III
TYLER KNIGHTON
Rowan University (N.J.) – Division III
COOPER LEE
Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) – NJCAA
NICK MADONIA
Tennessee Tech – FCS
ABDUL MAHDI
Saint Xavier University (Ill.) – NAIA
DRAKE McCARTER
Northwest Mississippi CC – NJCAA
JERRY NUNEZ
Indiana State – FCS
DREW PEARSON
University of Wisconsin – Stout – Division III
SHEA RODGERS
Newberry (S.C.) – Division II
ELIJAH “STORM” RUIZ
Stephen F. Austin (Texas) – FCS
ERIC SACHSE
Trinity College (Conn.) – Division III
JONAS SCHENDERLEIN
Concordia University, St. Paul (Minn.) – Division II
BRAD SCHICKEL
University of Indianapolis – Division II
PERRY SCHMIEDELER
Washburn University (Kansas) – Division II
JUAN SERNA
Fort Valley State University (Georgia) – Division II
NATHAN SHAW
Northern State University (S.D.) – Division II
SEAN SLATTERY
Illinois State University – FCS
JAMIE SULLIVAN
Johns Hopkins (Maryland) – Division III
COLE TRACY
Assumption College (Mass.) – Division II
ELI WETTSTEIN
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh – Division III
TANNER WRIGHT
McMurry University (Texas) – Division III
