Fresno State Athletics
Stitser Named Lou Groza Award Semifinalist
11/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 9, 2005
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State's outstanding sophomore place-kicker Clint Stitser has been selected as a semifinalist of the 2005 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl.
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award recognizes the top place-kicker in NCAA Division I-A football. Voters for the award include Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and previous Groza Award finalists. The three finalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced on Monday, November 21, and then will be honored at the 14th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Dinner on Tuesday, December 6 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott.
The twenty semifinalists, in alphabetical order, are: Mike Barrow, Idaho Dan Beardall, Utah Kenny Byrd, New Mexico Brandon Coutu, Georgia Mason Crosby, Colorado Jad Dean, Clemson John Deraney, NC State Brad Devault, Tulsa Connor Hughes, Virginia Josh Huston, Ohio State Robert Lee, East Carolina Darren McCaleb, Southern Mississippi Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech Garret Rivas, Michigan Jason Robbins, Toledo Kyle Schlicher, Iowa Reagan Schneider, UTEP Alexis Serna, Oregon State Clint Stitser, Fresno State Sam Swank, Wake Forest
In his first season as the starting kicker, Stitser has made 10 of 12 field goals, good for first in the WAC and 14th overall in the nation. At 9.8 ppg, Stitser is ranks first in WAC scoring and 11th in NCAA scoring. He is also 29-30 this year in PATs. Against Utah State on October 15, Stitser kicked three field goals, including a career-long 44-yarder. For his performance, he was named WAC Special Teams Player of the Week.
The sophomore business major is solid in the classroom as well. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and will be a candidate for Academic honors. Stitser has also proven to be the strongest kicker in Fresno State history, benching 365 pounds and squatting 500 pounds.
The 2005 winner of the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award winner will be announced on Thursday, December 8 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida.
The award, now in its 14th year, is named for 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.
For more information on the 20 Semifinalists, including complete statistics, please visit http://www.lougrozaaward.com/Candidates/index.htm.
The Lou Groza Award is presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl and is sponsored by BankAtlantic, Clipper Corporate Apparel and Promotions, Continental Airlines, Crooks Printing Services, ESPN Radio 760, ESPN Regional Television, Florida Atlantic University Athletics, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling Company, JBS Destination Solutions, John F. Romano, P.A., KaBloom, Palm Beach Kennel Club, Parallax Productions, Rooney's Public House, Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, Team A-fin-ity Sportfishing, The Breakers, The Palm Beach Post and WPEC News-12.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, including banquet, hotel and ticket information, please contact the Palm Beach County Sports Institute at (561) 233-3180 or visit www.lougrozaaward.com.
