Wake Forest Athletics
Swank Named To Lou Groza Award Watch List
8/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 15, 2006
West Palm Beach, Fla. - Wake Forest sophomore Sam Swank was named to the 2006 Lou Groza Award watch list, an award given to college football's best placekicker by the Palm Beach (Fla.) Sports Commission. The list include 30 candidates based on 2005 statistics and 2006 expectations.
Swank is one of four ACC kickers on the list. Earlier this summer, Swank was chosen first team preseason All-ACC by Phil Steele's Magazine, second team preseason All-ACC by Lindy's and third team preseason All-ACC by Athlon.
As a sophomore, the Jacksonville Beach, Fla., native was the only freshman to be named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist. He was selected as a first team freshman All-American by The Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews.com and Scout.com and received one vote for ACC Rookie of the Year.
Last year, Swank made the third-longest and fourth-longest field goals in Wake Forest history with a 52-yarder against Miami and a 51-yarder at Nebraska. He broke the school freshman record for scoring (86 points) and made 11 consecutive field goal attempts to break a school record (beginning Oct. 8 at Florida State and ending November 12 vs. Miami). His 19 field goals were the most in a single season in Wake Forest history. Swank's 79.2 percent accuracy and 24 attempts were the second-highest in school history. His 86 points were the third-most in school history, the most by ever by a kicker, the most by any Deacon since Larry Russell in 1981 (94) and the fifth-most by a freshman in ACC history behind only two kickers, Nick Novak of Maryland and Scott Bentley of Florida State, both of whom played in the NFL. Swank ranked 3rd in the ACC and ninth nationally in field goals per game (1.7), 3rd in the ACC in field goal percentage (79.2). He was fourth in the ACC and 40th in the NCAA in scoring (7.8). Finally, Swank hit four field goals on the final play of the first half vs. Vanderbilt, Nebraska, Maryland and Boston College.
The 20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced on Tuesday November 7, 2006, followed with the naming of the three finalists two weeks later on Tuesday, November 21. The 2006 Lou Groza Award winner will be named Dec. 7 in Orlando, Fla., on the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show.
A panel of more than 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.
2006 Lou Groza Award Watch List
Player, School Cl.Jad Dean, Clemson Sr.Mason Crosby, Colorado Sr.Robert Lee, East Carolina Sr.Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan Sr.Chris Hetland, Florida Sr.Clint Stitser, Fresno State Jr.Brandon Coutu, Georgia Jr.Jason Reda, Illinois Jr.Kyle Schlicher, Iowa Sr.Danny Horwedel, Louisiana Tech Jr.Arthur Carmody, Louisville Jr.Jordon Congdon, Nebraska Soph.Kenny Byrd, New Mexico Sr.John Deraney, NC State Sr.Bruce Redden, Oklahoma State Sr.Paul Martinez, Oregon Sr.Alexis Serna, Oregon State Jr.Jeremy Ita, Rutgers Jr.Darren McCaleb, Southern Miss Sr.Chris Manfredini, TCU Jr.James Wilhoit, Tennessee Sr.Alex Trlica, Texas Tech Jr.Greg Whibbs, Troy Jr.Justin Medlock, UCLA Sr.Sergio Aguayo, UNLV Jr.Reagan Schneider, UTEP Sr.Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech Sr.Sam Swank, Wake Forest Soph.Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin Jr.
