Badgley Named Lou Groza Award Semifinalist
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — University of Miami senior Michael Badgley was named a semifinalist for the 2017 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Thursday.
Just one field goal away from tying the program’s all-time record of 73, Badgley has connected on 12 of 14 field goal attempts in 2017 and is a perfect 26-for-26 on extra point attempts. Badgley is one of just three returning semifinalists, joining Auburn senior Daniel Carlson and Syracuse senior Cole Murphy. He ranks third in the ACC in field goal percentage (85.7) and second in the ACC in field goals per game (1.71), and is responsible for 62 points this season.
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 21st and honored at the 26th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 4th in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 7th.
The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” 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. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 25 finalists, including 14 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning nine trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home five Super Bowls. That list includes 2017 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, Caleb Sturgis, and Blair Walsh.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Kris Pursell, Director of Event Operations at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-3124 or kpursell@palmbeachsports.com.
The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, December 7. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 26th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Monday, December 4.
National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 22 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local member-ship program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com
