FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 27, 2025) – On the heels of a breakout season,
Samuel Hunsaker is one of 38 placekickers named on the 2025 Fred Mitchell Award Midseason Watch List.
The Fred Mitchell Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate placekicker in the FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA, not only for their performance on the field, but for their community service efforts. This year's recipient will be announced in December.
Hunsaker is one of 19 kickers on the watch list from the FCS level and one of two kickers from the Big Sky Conference along with Idaho State's Trajan Sinatra.
Hunsaker, a sophomore from Gilbert, Ariz., is in his first full season as NAU's primary kicker. Hunsaker is 8-for-10 on field goal attempts this season with a career-long of 50 yards last month against UIW. Hunsaker is also perfect on all 28 extra point attempts this season and has totaled 19 touchbacks on 39 kickoffs.
The second-year Lumberjack took over placekicking duties midway through the 2024 campaign as a true freshman and converted four field goals and 18 PATs last season.
Hunsaker is aiming to be the second Lumberjack to receive the Fred Mitchell Award following Luis Aguilar in 2019. He would also be the second consecutive winner from the Big Sky after Idaho State's Gabe Panikowski won the award last season.
For the full Fred Mitchell Award Midseason Watch List, click
here.
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