Nov. 2, 2006
Columbia, Mo. -
University of Missouri sophomore placekicker Jeff Wolfert (Overland Park, Kan.) has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2006 Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award, as announced today by the Palm Beach (Fla.) County Sports Institute and Sports Commission.
One of the more intriguing stories for the 7-2 Tigers this season, Wolfert is in his first year of kicking at the collegiate level, after coming to Mizzou originally as a diver on the MU men's swimming and diving team.
Wolfert has made 11-of-13 field goals for the Tigers through 9 games, and is also a perfect 34-of-34 on extra points so far. He enters Saturday's game at Nebraska ranked 5th in the Big 12 Conference, and 38th nationally, with his scoring average of 7.44 points per game, and he's made 35 consecutive overall kicks (eight field goals, 27 extra points) since his last miss - a 36-yard field goal missed in the fourth quarter in game number two against Ole Miss.
Wolfert kicked in only one game in high school his senior year before breaking his hip, and the injury forced him to focus on swimming once he healed. Wolfert, however, never let go of his dream to kick collegiately, and after a standout freshman season in 2004-05 that saw him earn All-Big 12 diving honors, he gave up his diving scholarship to walk-on to the football team for the 2005 season.
Wolfert did not play in 2005, but won the placekicking job with an outstanding fall camp in August of this year.
Among this year's 20 semifinalists are 2005 Groza Award winner Alexis Serna of Oregon State and 2005 runner-up Mason Crosby of Colorado, as well as five others who were semifinalists a year ago. Three finalists for the Groza Award will be announced November 20th, with the winner announced on December 7th during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Fla.
The award is named after NFL Hall-of-Fame kicker Lou Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns and won four NFL titles and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. For more information about the award, please visit www.lougrozaaward.com.