Palm Beach County Sports Commission Presents

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award

Palm Beach Sports

2022 SEMIFINALISTS

 

 

 


Lou Groza National Collegiate Place Kicker Award
Announces Top 20 Semifinalists

West Palm Beach, Fla. -- The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has released the 20 semifinalists for the 2022 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl. These 20 kickers have all excelled throughout the season in earning their places as semifinalists.

Eight have been semifinalists before, including last year’s winner Michigan senior Jake Moody and Syracuse senior Andre Szmyt who won the award as a freshman back in 2018. Joining them are semifinalists from every year in between: NC State senior Christopher Dunn (2019), Georgia senior Jack Podlesny (2020), Clemson senior B.T. Potter (2020), Alabama senior Will Reichard (a finalist in 2020), Boise State junior Jonah Dalmas (2021), and the only three-time semifinalist in Missouri junior Harrison Mevis (2021 and 2020).

Among the names on the list are all 11 kickers who have made 15 or more field goals while connecting at 80% or better, including UTEP senior Gavin Baechle, the only FBS kicker to reach 20 field goals at this point. He’s joined by Wyoming sophomore John Hoyland (19), Dunn (18), Buffalo senior Alex McNulty (16), Podlesny (16), Reichard (16), University of Miami sophomore Andres Borregales (15), Oklahoma State senior Tanner Brown (15), North Texas senior Ethan Mooney (15), Potter (15) and Szmyt (15).

Four of the semifinalists are still perfect on field goals, with Dunn’s 18-for-18 mark leading the nation, followed by Stanford junior Joshua Karty (14-for-14), Arkansas State freshman Dominic Zvada (13-for-13) and South Alabama junior Diego Guajardo (12-for-12).

If Moody or Szmyt were to repeat their win, they would join Sebastian Janikowski as the only two-time Lou Groza Award recipients. On the other side of the coin, Zvada is joined by Iowa’s Drew Stevens as the only freshmen on the list, vying to become just the fourth freshman winner and the first since Szmyt himself.

Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 29th and honored at the 31st annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 5th in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 8th.

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.

Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home 7 Super Bowls. That list includes 2022 NFL kickers Rodrigo Blankenship, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, and Cairo Santos.

For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.  Additional information can be obtained by contacting Jared Fleet, Director of Event Operations at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-3120 or jfleet@palmbeachsports.com.

National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit NCFAA.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.

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, the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches, and the annual Holiday Basketball Classic of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.

 

 
 
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Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award 2022 National Semifinalists

(In alphabetical Order – Statistics as of November 7)

 

Gavin Baechle – UTEP

Height: 6'1" - Weight: 170 - Class: Senior - Hometown: McKinney, Texas

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

20

21

95.2

0-0

8-8

4-4

6-7

2-2

54

22

22

82

 

 

Andres Borregales – Miami (FL)

Height: 5'11" - Weight: 170 - Class: Sophomore - Hometown: Miami, Florida

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

15

18

83.3

0-0

5-5

7-8

3-4

0-1

49

25

25

70

 

 

Tanner Brown – Oklahoma State

Height: 6'0" - Weight: 180 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Saugus, California

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

15

16

93.8

1-1

4-4

5-5

4-5

1-1

52

36

36

81

 

 

Jonah Dalmas – Boise State

Height: 5'8" - Weight: 172 - Class: Junior - Hometown: Meridian, Idaho

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

14

17

82.4

0-0

5-5

4-7

4-4

1-1

51

31

31

73

 

 

Matthew Dapore – Air Force

Height: 6'0" - Weight: 195 - Class: Sophomore - Hometown: Springboro, Ohio

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

12

14

85.7

0-0

3-3

3-3

3-4

3-4

54

26

26

62

 

 

Christopher Dunn – NC State

Height: 5'8" - Weight: 170 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

18

18

100

0-0

5-5

4-4

7-7

2-2

53

24

24

78

 

 

Diego Guajardo – South Alabama

Height: 6'0" - Weight: 192 - Class: Junior - Hometown: Spanish Fort, Alabama

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

12

12

100

0-0

3-3

6-6

3-3

0-0

48

33

34

69

 

 

Chris Howard – Memphis

Height: 6'2" - Weight: 210 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

14

16

87.5

0-0

4-5

6-6

4-4

0-1

47

33

34

75

 

 

John Hoyland – Wyoming

Height: 5'10" - Weight: 180 - Class: Sophomore - Hometown: Broomfield, Colorado

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

19

21

90.5

1-1

7-7

5-5

4-5

2-3

55

21

21

78

 

 

Joshua Karty – Stanford

Height: 6’2" - Weight: 207 - Class: Junior - Hometown: Burlington, North Carolina

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

14

14

100

0-0

2-2

2-2

9-9

1-1

53

21

21

63

 

 

Alex McNulty – Buffalo
Height: 6'1" - Weight: 230 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Caledonia, New York

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

16

18

88.9

0-0

4-4

5-5

6-7

1-2

52

31

32

79

 

 

Harrison Mevis – Missouri

Height: 5’11" - Weight: 243 - Class: Junior - Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

16

21

76.2

1-1

2-4

4-6

5-5

4-5

56

20

20

68

 

 

Jake Moody – Michigan

Height: 6'1" - Weight: 210 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Northville, Michigan

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

19

24

79.2

0-0

8-9

7-7

2-3

2-5

54

42

42

99

 

 

Ethan Mooney – North Texas

Height: 6’0" - Weight: 200 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

15

16

93.8

0-0

6-6

5-6

4-4

0-0

49

42

43

87

 

 

Jack Podlesny – Georgia

Height: 6'1" - Weight: 180 - Class: Senior - Hometown: St. Simons Island, Georgia

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

16

18

88.9

1-1

7-7

6-6

2-3

0-1

42

44

44

92

 

 

B.T. Potter – Clemson

Height: 5’10" - Weight: 200 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

15

17

88.2

0-0

4-4

5-5

5-7

1-1

52

33

33

78

 

 

Will Reichard – Alabama

Height: 6'1" - Weight: 190 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Hoover, Alabama

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

16

20

80

0-0

3-3

6-7

4-5

3-5

52

44

44

92

 

 

Drew Stevens – Iowa

Height: 6'0" - Weight: 180 - Class: Freshman - Hometown: North Augusta, South Carolina

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

12

14

85.7

0-0

6-6

2-2

2-4

2-2

54

15

15

51

 

 

Andre Szmyt – Syracuse

Height: 6'1" - Weight: 199 - Class: Senior - Hometown: Vernon Hills, Illinois

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

15

17

88.2

0-0

7-7

3-3

3-5

2-2

54

31

31

76

 

 

Dominic Zvada – Arkansas State

Height: 6'3" - Weight: 174 - Class: Freshman - Hometown: Chandler, Arizona

 

FGM

FGA

FG%

1-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

LONG

XPM

XPA

PTS

13

13

100

0-0

2-2

6-6

5-5

0-0

46

23

24

62

 

 

 

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Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award

 

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