Ripon, Wis. - One season after being a finalist for the Fred Mitchell award, Ripon sophomore kicker Jacob Gahart has been named to the preseason Watch List for the 2010 Fred Mitchell award. He is one of 40 place-kickers from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to make the list for the award, which is given to the kicker that best displays excellence on the football field and in the community.
Gahart is coming off a freshman season that saw him set a school record for most field goals in a season, connecting on nine, including a perfect 7-for-7 from inside 40 yards. The Elkhorn, Wis. native also tied the school record for longest field goal, converting a 47-yarder against Monmouth in a game that also saw him kick a 42-yarder. That was one of three games last season in which Gahart recorded more than one field goal. In addition to that, Gahart converted on 33 of his 36 PATs (one blocked, two missed one of which was his first-ever kick in college). He was named Midwest Conference Special Teams Performer of the Week twice last season (October 19 and November 2).
The Award’s Selection Committee Chairman Chris Kearney said, "These place-kickers are terrific on the football field and off the field representing their schools, their football teams, their conferences, their communities, their families and themselves. We look forward to following their accomplishments during the next few months," Fred Mitchell Award Selection Committee Chairman Chris Kearney said.
Gahart, a history major, is a career development department volunteer at Ripon College. He also assisted with research to establish an improved test for freshmen during Summer orientation.
The Watch List includes place-kickers from more than 600 eligible colleges. Gahart is one of five sophomores on the Watch List, which also consists of 21 seniors and 14 juniors. He is also one of 12 finalists for the 2009 award to appear on the 2010 Watch List.