The 2009 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List

The Watch List for the Fred Mitchell Award includes 18 Division II and III collegiate place-kickers that were nominated by their colleges for excellence on the football field and in the community. The Award’s Selection Committee Chairman Chris Kearney said, “These place-kickers are a very impressive group on and off the football field. They admirably represent their schools, their football teams, their communities, their families and themselves.” The Watch List includes place-kickers from schools in 16 states, with three place-kickers playing in Ohio. Fred Mitchell said, “The diversity of these fine young men is terrific and it is a pleasure to include them on the Watch List for this Award. Division II and III place-kickers seldom receive national recognition, and we are delighted to recognize them based on outstanding performance in the community and expectations going into the 2009 college football season.”

In alphabetical order, the 2009 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List is listed below:

Alex Beard - Quincy University (Illinois) Senior from Jacksonville, IL Alex tied Quincy’s record for the most FG’s in a season (10) in 2008 and finished the 2008 season with 25 of 27 PAT’s and 10 of 15 FG’s earning a selection in the 2008 MSFA Midwest League First Team All-Conference. A member of the Traveling Theatre, Alex visits area grade schools to share life lessons with youth. He has also raised funds and awareness for former Hawks football player Dustin Keeven who was seriously injured in a car accident last year. Alex finds time to participate as a youth football coach and visits local grade schools to participate in academic and non-academic activities as part of the Big Hawk/Little Hawk program. Alex interacts monthly with hearing impaired people in the community as part of QU’s Deaf Club and helps low income families as part of Jacksonville’s NEED Program. Alex is a three-year volunteer in both the Walk for the Cure (breast cancer) and Buddy Walk (autism).

Britt Blackmon - Newberry College (South Carolina) Junior from Kershaw, SC Britt had the highest FG percentage in the South Atlantic Conference in 2008. He scored 45 points in 2008 to rank second on the team and fourth among South Atlantic Conference kickers. Britt finished the 2008 season completing 21 of 25 PAT’s and 8 of 12 FG’s and was named SAC Special Teams Player of the Week with a career high 8 points in win over Wingate on October 20, 2008. He is a volunteer for the Future Educators Association, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Physical Education Majors Club. Britt teaches Vacation Bible School in his hometown, has been a Flat Creek Fire Department volunteer since 2003 and holds membership at the Fort Hill Masonic Lodge.

Jackson Damron - California-Lutheran University Sophomore from Ventura, CA Jackson was selected for the 2009 Consensus Draft Services DIII Preseason All-American Second Team and 2009 Lindy’s Preseason Division III Second Team. He was selected as a 2008 NCAA DIII Honorable Mention All-American, 2008 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team and 2008 All-West Region Third Team. Jackson was the 2008 DIII leader in FG’s made per game (1.89) and scored 74 points in 2008 including 23 of 26 PAT’s and 17 of 23 FG’s. He is a two-year volunteer in high school baseball and basketball camps and a multiple year volunteer in Santa Barbara's youth sports camps.

Tom Foos - Defiance College (Ohio) Junior from Helena, OH Tom was named by OhioCollegeFootball.com as a 2009 Preseason First Team All-Ohio selection. He was selected for the 2008 First Team All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, 2008 Second Team All-Ohio and finished second on the Yellow Jackets in 2008 scoring with 22 of 23 PAT’s and 2 of 5 FG’s. 2008 season highlights include kicking the game-winning 38 yard FG to beat Hanover College in overtime on November 1, 2008, earning him the HCAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Tom cleans homes for the elderly and participates in activities at local nursing homes. He is also a City of Defiance volunteer assisting with Christmas decorations and spreading mulch at local parks. Tom also volunteers at the county fair.

Andrew Foote - Lewis & Clark College (Oregon) Senior from Denver, CO Andrew earned a Northwest Conference Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2007. He has 68 career points from 35 PAT’s and 11 FG’s, completing 11 of 18 career FG’s including a 44 yard career-long. Andrew has been inducted into the Pamplin Society of Fellows, the highest honor bestowed by Lewis & Clark College to undergraduate students for intelligence, leadership, integrity and physical fitness. He has been selected for the Pioneer All-Academic First Team and founded the Koinonia Christian Fellowship. Andrew is a Department of Economics tutor, he volunteered for the TEAGLE Foundation Peer Effects Conference and he has planned fundraisers, outside speaker forums and other campus events for the Pamplin Society Community Outreach and Discussion Committees. He also sits on the Pamplin Society Teacher of the Year Selection Committee and is an Awards Ceremony volunteer.

Russell Gliadon - Saint John's University (Minnesota) Senior from Fridley, MN Russell has a career record of 90 of 97 PAT’s and 11 of 17 FG’s. He holds a 60-yard career-average for kickoffs with a total of nearly 7,700 yards. Russell placed second in team scoring in 2008 and 2007 with a total of 106 points and has only missed two FG’s since the third game of the 2007 season. A Big Brothers/Big Sisters volunteer in St. Cloud, Russell is also a Habitat for Humanity volunteer in St. Joseph and football camp volunteer for three sessions in the past year including Fridley, Minnetonka and River Falls, WI.

Jesse Hawkins - Heidelberg University (Ohio) Junior from Georgetown, KY Jesse was selected as a 2008 and 2007 All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree and led his team in scoring each of the past two seasons. He made the two longest FG’s in school history (48 and 47 yards) and sits only five FG’s shy of setting the school’s all-time record. Jesse's 14 FG’s in 2007 set the single-season record at Heidelberg. He earned Ohio College Football All-Ohio Preseason Second Team honors and is a two-time Ohio Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Jesse is a volunteer at the Seneca County School of Opportunity, he is active in his hometown’s youth group which has grown into helping support Habitat for Humanity and he assists with Campus Ministry program events.

Nick Hope - Wayne State College (Nebraska) Senior from Avoca, IA Nick went from being a walk-on to one of the most successful place-kickers in school history earning a 2009 Preseason First Team All-American selection by Lindy’s College Football Preview. He is a rare straight-on left-footed kicker and was born with just part of his left arm. Nick was selected as a member of the 2008 First Team NSIC South Division after finishing the 2008 seasob with 44 of 46 PAT’s and 14 of 17 FG’s. He made 10 straight FG’s in 2008 including a record-tying 50-yarder against Minnesota State on September 20, 2008. His career record includes 94 of 100 PAT’s and 25 of 34 FG’s. Nick is very active in Wayne State’s CHAMPS Life Skills Program and volunteers for the Trick or Treat Canned Food Drive to help provide over 4,000 canned goods to the Wayne Food Pantry.

Brock Jolly - Southwest Baptist University (Missouri) Sophomore from Phoenix, AZ Brock handled 71 of 75 kickoff opportunities with a 54-yard average. Brock will be the starting place-kicker for the Bearcats in 2009, following the 2008 season where the team had the nation's fourth best offesnse. He was 3 of 4 in PAT’s and 2 of 2 in FG’s for the 2008 season with 16 of his 70 punts kicked inside the 20 yard line. He is a member of the Big Cat Little Cat program helping local elementary schoolchildren improve their reading skills. He also volunteered for the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks in February after the Center’s blood supply was nearly depleted due to an ice storm.

Peter Nilson - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York) Junior from Appleton, WI Peter was a 2008 All-Liberty League Honorable Mention and 2008 Liberty League All-Academic (architecture). He finished the 2008 season with 34 of 36 PAT’s and 8 of 10 FG’s including 8 of 9 from 20-39 yards. In 2007 he finished with 35 of 38 PAT’s. Peter has raised funds and awareness for the Leukemia Society, worked with Alive Ministries community projects including yard maintenance and volunteered for three years in the TOPSoccer program, including playing soccer with children that have physical and mental limitations.

Thomas Parrott - Northern State University (South Dakota) Junior from Tampa, FL Thomas was a 2008 Second Team All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference selection after being an Honorable Mention in 2007. He made 48 of 53 PAT’s in the past two seasons and earned NSIC Player of the Week honors as a Freshman after connecting on 7 of 7 PAT’s and adding a FG in the Wolves 52-9 win over Minnesota-Crookston on October 20, 2007. Thomas is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a volunteer Chemistry tutor to Northern State students and participated in the United Way and Northern State University Day of Champions event to assist with various community service projects in the Aberdeen area.

Kevin Quackenbush - Saint Joseph's College (Indiana) Sophomore from Indianapolis, IN Kevin will handle place-kicking duties in 2009 after being the starting punter in 2008 as a freshman where he received First Team All-Conference honors. He ranked 33rd in Division II yards-per-punt and second highest in school history including 22 punts inside the 20 yard line. Kevin is a Campus Ministry event volunteer and he helped raised awareness and donations for the local food pantry at the annual Trick or Treat Event to benefit the homeless.

Elliot Rausa - Coe College (Iowa) Junior from Waterloo, IA Elliot scored 107 points in 2007 and 2008, already ranking him the fourth-highest among all Coe College kickers with two years yet to play. His 10 FG’s made in 2007 and again in 2008 ties for the highest single season record in school history. His 20 career FG’s ranks third all-time for the Kohawks. Elliot also plays on Coe’s tennis team. He volunteers to help the poor and underprivileged at Waterloo’s Catholic Worker House and he is a summer volunteer in Eastern Iowa at numerous youth tennis camps.

Taylor Russolino - Millsaps College (Mississippi) Junior from Metairie, LA Taylor was selected 2008 First Team All-SCAC and Academic All-SCAC (biology). He led the SCAC in 2008 scoring with 97 points and already holds Millsaps' career records in PAT’s made (80) and attempted (88) while sitting just five FG’s shy of breaking another Majors career record. Taylor finished 2008 with single-season records for PAT’s made (64, former record was 27) and attempted (69). In 2008, Taylor made 11 of 13 FG's, the highest FG percentage in the Conference and second highest in school history. He volunteers weekly for the Mississippi School for the Blind and Deaf and assists New Summit Middle School students that have special needs. Taylor is also active as a Stewpot Community Services volunteer helping to serve 120 meals daily to needy in the Community Kitchen and delivering 50 meals daily to shut-ins in the Jackson, MS area.

Jeff Schebler - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Senior from Davenport, IA Jeff holds the Warhawks career records for PAT’s made (162), PAT’s attempted (171), FG’s made (61) and FG’s attempted (77). He has tied the school record for the longest FG made (52 yards) and his 345 points scored ranks third in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference history. Jeff holds Division III all-time career records for most career FG’s made, most FG’s attempted and highest FG percentage. Jeff was a unanimous selection for First Team All-Conference in 2006, 2007 and 2008 when he was First or Second Team All-American in multiple rankings after all three seasons. The Warhawks won the Division III Championship in 2007 and were runners-up in 2006 and 2008. The Warhawks are ranked third in the 2009 Division III preseason polls by USA Today and D3football.com. A member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes leadership team, Jeff also visits the Hadley School for the Blind in Janesville and is a Kohl’s Kicking Camp counselor and mentor.

Josh Stripling - LaGrange College (Georgia) Junior from Newnan, GA Josh was selected 2008 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference Place-Kicker. He set 15 game and season records in 2008 and led Conference kickers in scoring in 2008 with 70 points. Josh's career stats include 58 of 64 PAT's and 12 of 20 FG's. He averages 60 yards per kickoff, including 12 touchbacks. Josh is the Scholastic Chairman for his fraternity, a Habitat for Humanity Charity Concert and year-round warehouse volunteer and participant in local after school programs for youth. Josh raises funds for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Troup County and he is a regular speaker at local elementary schools.

Jonathan Thompson - Bluffton University (Ohio) Senior from Carmel, IN Jonathan led the Beavers in scoring in 2008, converting 10 of 10 PAT's and 7 of 11 FG's. He averaged 54 yards per kickoff in 2008 and was selected Second Team All-Heartland Conference in 2008. He earned Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors after scoring 11 points in Bluffton’s 23-15 win over Kalamazoo on September 27, 2008. Jonathan assisted with flood prevention efforts during a March 9, 2009 crisis, working with the rest of the football team to fill sand bags with 18 tons of sand. He has raised funds and awareness for victims of domestic and family violence in the Crossroads Crisis Center’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event and he volunteered to beautify the grounds of the Maple Crest and Mennonite Memorial Home.

Juan Velasco - Texas A&M University-Commerce Senior from Santa Maria, CA Juan was selected for the 2008 First Team All-Lone Star Conference North Division and 2008 Third Team Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-Super Region. He was honored as the Lone Star Conference North Division Player of the Week after a 38-14 win over Eastern New Mexico on September 20, 2008. Juan scored 36 points in 2008 from 24 of 27 PAT’s and four FG’s. He is a volunteer for the Commerce Children’s Museum Father/Daughter Dance and Hunt County Special Olympics.