Andre Szmyt wins Lou Groza award for nation’s best kicker
Max Freund | Asst. Photo Editor
Andre Szmyt attempts a field goal against Wagner.
Andre Szmyt, Syracuse’s redshirt freshman kicker and former walk on, won the Lou Groza Award Thursday.
Szmyt took home the award, given annually to the nation’s best placekicker, over LSU’s Cole Tracy and Wyoming’s Cooper Rothe. The honor comes after being named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference and a first-team All-American by multiple outlets.
Four months ago, Szmyt was an unknown walk-on who didn’t miss in training camp, earning him the starting job. He finished the season with an ACC record 28 made field goals on 32 attempts (87.5 percent).
His season long came in Pittsburgh, where he hit a 54-yard rainbow and he finished No. 2 in the country in points scored with 141.
Szmyt, and No. 20 Syracuse (9-3, 6-2 ACC) face off with No. 16 West Virginia (8-3, 6-3 Big 12) in the Camping World Bowl on Dec. 28 in Orlando, Florida.
Published on December 6, 2018 at 8:03 pm
Contact Andrew: aegraham@syr.edu | @A_E_Graham
