Kaeding, Nugent, Siegel Named Finalists For 2002 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 18, 2002
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is pleased to announce the three finalists for the 2002 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. The finalists are Nate Kaeding of the University of Iowa, Mike Nugent from Ohio State University, and Jared Siegel from the University of Oregon.
The award, which is presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl, will be given out during a ceremony on Tuesday, December 10, at the Sheraton West Palm Beach Hotel at CityPlace in West Palm Beach, FL. The winner will then go up to Orlando, FL, and participate in the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 12.
Kaeding finished his season by making 20 field goals on 22 attempts, including a career-long of 55 yards. The junior from Coralville, IA, set the single-season Hawkeye scoring record by recording 115 points this year. Kaeding made his first 19 field goals of the season, and finished the year by making at least two field goals in eight of Iowa’s 12 games. Kaeding needs just eight more field goals to tie the Iowa career mark of 54.
Nugent began the season making his first 23 field goal attempts, coming just two short of the NCAA record. The sophomore from Centerville, OH, has made 24 field goals this year on 26 tries, shattering the previous Ohio State mark of 19. Nugent has set a Buckeye record by making nine field goals from 40 yards out or more, and his 111 points also set a new mark for points by a kicker. He kicked a career-best 51-yarder against Indiana.
Siegel has made 18 field goals this year on 21 attempts, making 15 in a row at one point. That set a new Oregon record for consecutive made field goals, breaking the previous record held by 1998 Lou Groza Award finalist Nathan Villegas. Siegel booted a 59-yard field goal against UCLA, setting a new school record and tying the longest field goal in Pac-10 history. The sophomore from Sacramento has scored 98 points for the Ducks this year. The voters for the Lou Groza Award are comprised of all Division I head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters from across the country, conference officials, various NFL kickers, and all previous Lou Groza Award finalists.
The award, now in its 11th year, is named for Pro Football 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 into football the idea that a player could be used exclusively for kicking.
The Lou Groza Award is sponsored by Aim Riverside Press, AvMed, Bank Atlantic, The Breakers, Continental Airlines, ESPN, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling, JBS Destination Solutions, Palm Beach Kennel Club, The Palm Beach Post, Parallax Productions, Rooney’s Public House, Sheraton West Palm Beach Hotel at CityPlace, and WPEC News 12.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please go to www.palmbeachsports.com, or call the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-1015.
