Badgley Earns UMSHoF's Kichefski Scholarship

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame announced that senior kicker Michael Badgley is the 24th recipient of the Walter Kichefski Endowed Football Scholarship for the 2017-2018 school year.

Badgley, a Summit, N.J. native, set a UM school record with 25 field goals in 2015.  Last year, he connected on 21 of 26 field goals and 53 of 55 extra points and was named ALL-ACC Third Team for the second consecutive season by the conference coaches.  He will be presented a plaque for the award at the 49th Annual UM Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Tuesday, April 18th at Jungle Island in downtown Miami. 

 Among the Class of 2017 inductees are baseball’s Ryan Braun and Dan Davies, basketball’s Steve Edwards and Coach Katie Meier, football’s James Jackson, Jeremy Shockey and Darryl Williams, tennis’ Audra Cohen and, Valeria Tipiana, the first volleyball player ever inducted.

There’s no question that Walter Kichefski embodied the Spirit of Miami.  He was associated with this university for 56 years as a player, coach and administrator.  Following Walter’s death in 1992, a committee was formed to raise funds for a perpetual football scholarship in Kichefski’s memory.  It’s a testament to his spirit that it only took one year to raise the $400,000 that it took at the time, to endow the athletic scholarship.  This remains the only undergraduate award presented by the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.             

The scholarship recipient is chosen by the football coaches with the award going to the player who most embodies the characteristics by which Walter Kichefski lived:

·      Respect of his fellow man

·      Loyalty

·      Dedication

·      Sacrifice

·      Motivation

·      Inspiration.

 
For information on UMSHoF induction banquet tickets, call the Hall of Fame at 305-284-2775 or go to UMSportsHallofFame.com. 

To view a tribute video to Walter Kichefski on the UM Sports Hall of Fame website, click here.

Past Walter Kichefski Endowed Scholarship Award Winners: 

1994 – Larry Jones
1995 – Alan Symonette
1996 – Twan Russell
1997 – Ryan Clement
1998 – Richard Mercier
1999 – Joaquin Gonzalez
2000 – Dan Morgan
2001 – Jeremy Shockey
2002 – Matt Walters
2003 – Jonathan Vilma
2004 – Chris Myers
2005 – Kelly Jennings
2006 – Anthony Wollschlager
2007 – Khalil Jones
2008 – Derrick Morse
2009 – Brandon Harris
2010 – Josh Holmes
2011 – Mike James
2012 – Allen Hurns
2013 – Shane McDermott
2014 – Denzel Perryman
2015 – Standish Dobard
2016 – Brad Kaaya
2017 – Michael Badgley