Palm Beach County Sports Commission

College football’s top kicking award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl recognizes three of the top kickers each week from FBS division teams as the “Stars of the Week.”

Junior kicker Colton Lichtenberg got his season off to an exciting start by making game-winner. The Savannah, GA native hit a 37-yard field goal with 2:13 remaining in the game to break a 20-20 tie and lift Boston College to a 23-20 road victory over Northern Illinois on Friday night. He also connected from 42 and 35 yards and converted both his extra point tries for an 11-point night, setting a new career high.

It was bombs away for Michigan freshman Quinn Nordin in Arlington, TX on Saturday when he became the first Wolverine kicker to ever make two field goals of 50 or more yards in a single game, helping lead the team to a 33-17 defeat of the Florida Gators. The Rockford, MI native was 4-for-6, connecting from 55, 50, 30 and 25 yards, and was 3-for-3 on PATs for 15 points in his first game of college football. His 55 yarder is the longest ever by a Michigan freshman and marked the longest field goal in a collegiate game at AT&T Stadium.

After spending last season as Washington’s punter, Tristan Vizcaino has gotten off to a great beginning as the team’s new starting place-kicker. The senior from Chino Hills, CA made field goals of 42, 24, and 23 yards in the Huskies’ 30-14 win over Rutgers in Piscataway, NJ on Friday. Vizcaino, who has served as Washington’s kickoff specialist since his freshman year and has a rushing touchdown on his career resume as well, also converted all three of his extra point attempts for a 12-point game.

The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.

For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter.

The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, December 7. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 26^th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Monday, December 4.

National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 22 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935.  Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.

About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.