Lou
Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces
2006 Preseason Watch List
WEST
PALM BEACH, FL – All three of last year’s top three
finalist and kickers from some of the top-ranked teams in the
country highlight the 2006 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award
Preseason Watch List.
The
Watch List is comprised of the top 30 preliminary candidates for
the 15th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented
by the FedEx Orange Bowl. The top three finalists are honored
during the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet and
Silent Auction on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, at the Palm Beach
Gardens Marriott. The winner is announced on Thursday, December
7, 2006 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show
in Orlando, Florida.
Among
kickers named to the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List a Lou
Groza Award finalist from last year, Mason Crosby of University
of Colorado, Jad Dean of Clemson University, and Alexis Serna
of Oregon State University.
Also
making the list are the place-kickers from some of the top rated
teams this season. They include: Chris Hetland, University of
Florida; Brandon Coutu, University of Georgia; Kyle Schlicher,
Iowa; Arthur Carmody, University of Louisville; Garrett Rivas,
University of Michigan; Jordon Congdon, University of Nebraska;
Paul Martinez, University of Oregon; Chris Manfredini, TCU; James
Wilhoit, University of Tennessee; Alex Trlica, Texas Tech; Brandon
Pace, Virginia Tech.
A
brief biography of each player on the Lou Groza Award Watch List
can be found at www.lougrozaaward.com beginning August 16, 2006.
Kickers
on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics
from the 2005 season and 2006 preseason expectations. However,
all Division I-A kickers are eligible for consideration for the
award.
A
panel of over 300 experts vote on the award, including Division
I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference
representatives, professional kickers and all previous Groza Award
finalists.
The
20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Tuesday
November 7, 2006, followed with the naming of the three finalists
two weeks later on Tuesday, November 21, 2006.
The
award, now in its 15th year, is named for National Football League
(NFL) Hall-of-Fame kicker Lou 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. Nicknamed “The
Toe,” Groza was one of the first people to truly make kicking
an art form, and he helped usher in to football the idea that
a player could be used exclusively for kicking.
The
Lou Groza Award is also sponsored by BankAtlantic, The Breakers,
Continental Airlines, ESPN Radio 760, ESPN Regional Television,
Florida Atlantic University Athletics, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling,
Hartless Foundation, JBS Destination Solutions, Palm Beach Gardens
Marriott, Palm Beach Kennel Club, The Palm Beach Post, Parallax
Productions, PGA National Golf Club, Rooney’s Public House,
Team A-fin-ity Sportfishing and WPEC News-12.
For
more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker
Award, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com
or contact Dusty Ann Williams at the Palm Beach County Sports
Institute at (561) 233-3122.
| NAME |
UNIVERSITY |
YEAR |
| Jad Dean |
Clemson |
Senior |
| Mason
Crosby |
Colorado |
Senior |
| Robert
Lee |
East
Carolina |
Senior |
| Andrew
Wellock |
Eastern
Michigan |
Senior |
| Chris
Hetland |
Florida |
Senior |
| Clint
Stitser |
Fresno
State |
Junior |
| Brandon
Coutu |
Georgia |
Junior |
| Jason
Reda |
Illinois |
Junior |
| Kyle
Schlicher |
Iowa |
Senior |
| Danny
Horwedel |
Louisiana
Tech |
Junior |
| Arthur
Carmody |
Louisville
|
Sophomore |
| Garrett
Rivas |
Michigan |
Senior |
| Jordon
Congdon |
Nebraska |
Sophomore |
| Kenny
Byrd |
New Mexico |
Senior |
| John
Deraney |
North
Carolina State |
Senior |
| Bruce
Redden |
Oklahoma
State |
Senior |
| Paul
Martinez |
Oregon |
Senior |
| Alexis
Serna |
Oregon
State |
Junior |
| Jeremy
Ito |
Rutgers |
Junior |
| Darren
McCaleb |
Southern
Mississippi |
Senior |
| Chris
Manfredini |
TCU |
Junior |
| James
Wilhoit |
Tennessee |
Senior |
| Alex
Trlica |
Texas
Tech |
Junior |
| Greg
Whibbs |
Troy |
Junior |
| Justin
Medlock |
UCLA |
Senior |
| Sergio
Aguayo |
UNLV |
Junior |
| Reagan
Schneider |
UTEP |
Senior |
| Brandon
Pace |
Virginia
Tech |
Senior |
| Sam Swank |
Wake
Forest |
Sophomore |
| Taylor
Melhaff |
Wisconsin |
Junior |
About Lou | The
Award | Candidates |
High School Award | Banquet
Information | News | Sponsors
| NCFAA | Previous
Winners | Photo Album
Contact Us:
(561) 233-3180
Palm Beach County Sports Institute
1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, Suite 1410, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Fax: (561) 233-3125; lougrozaaward@palmbeachsports.com
Copyright © 2004Palm
Beach County Sports Institute
.gif)
