COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech kicker Nick Madonia had a solid end to the 2016 campaign and he could soon be seeing some hardware coming his way.

Madonia was announced as one of 10 finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award, an award that encompasses NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division II, NAIA and NJCAA.

 

Among the running for the award – the winner to be announced on Dec. 13 – are three FCS kickers, three from Division II and four from Division III.

 

Madonia's fellow finalists include Cole Antley (Ouachita Baptist University), Miles Bergner (University of South Dakota), Matt Davis (University of North Carolina at Pembroke), Wyatt Ford (Ferris State University), Will Gingery (Wittenberg University), David Marvin (Wofford), Drew Pearson (University of Wisconsin-Stout), Kramer Rath (Nebraska Wesleyan University), and Tyler Stolen (Buena Vista University).

 

A selection committee evaluated place-kickers nominated by their schools. The committee includes several Pro and/or College Football Hall of Famers, including Tom Beck, Kevin Butler, Paul Hornung, Marv Levy, Steve McMichael, Don Pierson and Gale Sayers. There are 15 former college or NFL place-kickers on the committee.

 

Madonia, a sophomore from Arrington, Tenn., led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 72 points and also kicked a program-record 57-yard field goal at Tennessee State. That kick was tied for the longest in the Ohio Valley Conference this season and the second-longest in the FCS level.

 

He scored nine points against Eastern Kentucky and 13 points against Murray State.

 

For the season, Madonia was 13-for-16 on field goal attempts, including a streak of eight consecutive. He was also 33-for-35 on point-after tries.

 

He was twice named the OVC's co-Specialist of the Week and was named the HERO Sports FCS Defensive/Special Teams Hero of the Week in mid-November.