Chad heads into his senior season ranked as one of the premier punters in the nation, and a strong candidate for post-season honors, despite having just one season of collegiate experience...has all the potential to take his toe to the next level...an all-OVC selection as a junior and ranked No. 4 punter in nation in Football Championship Subdivision heading into the 2013 campaign...his booming kicks combine great distance with tremendous hang time...out of high school intended to walk-on at Middle Tennessee but an injury in preseason sidelined him...spent nearly two years at Vol State Community College before deciding to try again...approached Golden Eagle coaching staff about joining the team and has impressed from the day he set foot on campus...redshirt member of the team in 2011, and punted in 2012 spring drills.

AT TECH (IN 2012): In his debut season, not only on the Golden Eagle roster but in college football overall, Chad led the Ohio Valley Conference and ranked among national leaders in punting average...kicked 65 times in the 2012 campaign and average 44.8 yards per punt, with 25 kicks of 50-or-more yards...career-long punt sailed 64 yards in game against Eastern Kentucky...had a 62-yard kick at Oregon and a 60-yarder against Tennessee State...called on 12 times to punt at Oregon to tie the school record...his 492 yards punting against the No. 4 ranked Ducks set a school record...had three kicks over 50 yards in Autzen Stadium, and down four inside the Oregon 20-yard line...set a school record when he average 52.6 yards on five punts at Tennessee State, with three kicks of 50 yards or better...against Jacksonville State he had five punts that sailed 50 yards or more, and average 49.1 yards on eight kicks...only game in which his average was under 40 yards came at Southeast Missouri, with three short kicks downed inside the Redhawk 20-yard line...had a total of 19 kicks downed inside the opponent 20 with only five touchbacks.

BEFORE TECH (MTSU): Enrolled at MTSU for one semester in 2009 but foot injury sidelined him from football...spent next three semesters at VOl State but did not play football.

HIGH SCHOOL: Punted his freshman and senior years (did not play football his sophomore or junior years due to high school golf conflict) for the Maplewood High School Bucaneers...graduated in 2009...accepted placekicking and kickoff duties due to injury to starter...kicked a 34-yard game-winning field goal against Maplewood High School to advance to the third round of class 4A TSSAA playoffs...named 2008 region 6-5A Most Valuable Punter, and ranked third in the state in punting in 2008...received the Nathan Johnson Special Teams Award (Beech HS) in 2008...was an All-Region 6-5A team selection in 2008 when his squad won the district and regional crowns.

PERSONAL: The son of Michael and Lisa Zinchini...born January 9, 1991, in Goodlettsville, Tenn...full name is Chad Anthony Zinchini....majoring in interdisciplinary studies with emphasis on business communications.