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COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University junior kicker Jimmie Mattson (Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) was named to the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List on Tuesday, Aug. 2. The Watch List includes 50 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) collegiate place-kickers that were nominated by their colleges for excellence on the football field and in the community.
The annual Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award (also known as the Fred Mitchell Award, www.fredmitchellaward.com) is provided to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker among more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams. The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award is chosen based on excellence on the football field and in the community. In addition to today's Watch List, top performers are recognized monthly during the college football season and the winner (who is not required to be on the Watch List) is announced in mid-December.
An All-MIAC second-team selection last fall, Mattson led the Johnnies in scoring with 64 points. He converted all seven of his field-goal attempts, including a long of 40 yards, and made 43 points-after touchdown. He led all conference kickers (MIAC games only) in both scoring (49 points) and field-goal percentage (100.0).
During the past three years off the field, Mattson has volunteered with the Eau Claire Area Youth Football Camp, the Eau Claire Salvation Army and as an Eau Claire Elementary School classroom volunteer.
Mattson is one of 11 kickers from Division III on the Watch List, which is comprised of student-athletes from 30 different states, but is the only kicker on the initial list from the MIAC. Minnesota led all states with five honorees.
The school of the Award winner receives scholarship funds and the Fred Mitchell Award trophy will be presented in February 2012 at the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall.
The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, the record-setting place-kicker, Wittenberg University (Ohio) Athletic Hall of Famer, author, philanthropist and Chicago Tribune sports columnist.
Mattson and the rest of the Johnnies report to Collegeville on Saturday, Aug. 13, with the first practice scheduled for the following day. John Gagliardi officially begins his record 63rd season as a collegiate head football coach and 59th season in Collegeville against Northwestern Sept. 3 at Clemens Stadium. College football's all-time wins leader, Gagliardi ended the 2010 season with a 478-129-11 (.782) career record and a 454-123-10 (.782) record at SJU.
