Szmyt Included on 2020 Lou Groza Award Watch List

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Syracuse redshirt junior placekicker Andre Szmyt has been named to the watch list for the Lou Groza Award, as announced today by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.

The 2018 Groza Award winner, Szmyt is among a group of 30 preseason candidates for the award, which is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Lou "The Toe" Groza and is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding kicker.

Now entering his third season, Szmyt is bidding to become just the second two-time Groza winner in history. Florida State's Sebastian Janikowski is the only kicker to achieve the feat, capturing the award in 1998 and 1999.

Szmyt has earned preseason All-ACC honors from Athlon (second team), Lindy's (second team) and Phil Steele (second team). He was ranked the No. 3 kicker in the nation by Lindy's earlier this summer. The Orange's career leader in field-goal percentage, Szmyt hit 17 out of 20 (.850) field goals last season. He was perfect (11-of-11) from inside 40 yards and led Syracuse in scoring with 90 points.

A 2018 unanimous All-American and 2019 All-ACC selection, Szmyt has made 47 out of 54 (.870) field goals in 25 games over his first two seasons. He ranks seventh on Syracuse's all-time scoring list (241 points) and is the active FBS leader in both points scored per game (9.6) and field goals made per game (1.88).

Kickers selected for this year's Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2019 season and 2020 expectations. The 20 semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 5 and the three finalists will be named on Nov. 24. The 2020 Lou Groza Award winner will be announced live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10.

For more information about the Lou Groza Award, visit www.lougrozaaward.com.

Members of the Orange football team are on campus working out with fall camp scheduled to open on Aug. 6. Syracuse is currently set to begin the 2020 campaign on Friday, Sept. 4 at Boston College.

Season tickets for Orange football are available now online at Cuse.com/tickets or by calling 888-DOME-TIX.

Syracuse Players on 2020 NCFAA Watch Lists
Bednarik Award: Andre Cisco
Jim Thorpe Award: Andre Cisco
Nagurski Trophy: Andre Cisco
Lou Groza Award: Andre Szmyt

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Syracuse University Athletics

Szmyt Included on 2020 Lou Groza Award Watch List

Players Mentioned

Andre Cisco

Andre Szmyt

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