Millsaps' Russolino Named to Fred Mitchell Award Watch List

Millsaps' Russolino Named to Fred Mitchell Award Watch List

(Story taken from the Millsaps College website)

JACKSON, Miss. -- The Watch List for the inaugural Fred Mitchell Award includes 18 Division II and III collegiate place-kickers from schools in 16 different states that were nominated by their colleges for excellence on the football field and in the community. Included among the preseason list of nominees is junior placekicker Taylor Russolino of Millsaps College.

"These place-kickers are a very impressive group on and off the football field," the award's selection committee chairman Chris Kearney said. " They admirably represent their schools, their football teams, their communities, their families and themselves."

Starting with the 2009 season, the annual Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award (also known as the Fred Mitchell Award, www.fredmitchellaward.com in development) will be provided to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker among the approximately 150 Division II and 240 Division III football teams. 

"The diversity of these fine young men is terrific and it is a pleasure to include them on the Watch List for this Award," Fred Mitchell said. "Division II and III place-kickers seldom receive national recognition, and we are delighted to recognize them based on outstanding performance in the community and expectations going into the 2009 college football season." 

The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, the record-setting place-kicker, Wittenberg University Athletic Hall of Famer, author, philanthropist and Chicago Tribune sports columnist. The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be chosen based on excellence on the football field and in the community.

The Award's Watch List is released in August, top performers will be recognized monthly during the college football season, and the winner (who is not required to be on the Watch List) will be announced in mid-December. The school of the Award winner will receive scholarship funds and the Fred Mitchell Award trophy will be presented on Feb. 22, 2010, at the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall. 

2009 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List:
Alex Beard -- Senior, Quincy University (Illinois)
Britt Blackmon -- Junior, Newberry College (South Carolina) 
Jackson Damron -- Sophomore, California-Lutheran University
Tom Foos -- Junior, Defiance College (Ohio)
Andrew Foote -- Senior, Lewis & Clark College (Oregon)
Russell Gliadon -- Senior, Saint John's University (Minnesota)
Jesse Hawkins -- Junior, Heidelberg University (Ohio)
Nick Hope -- Senior, Wayne State College (Nebraska)
Brock Jolly -- Sophomore, Southwest Baptist University (Missouri)
Peter Nilson -- Junior, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York)
Thomas Parrott -- Junior, Northern State University (South Dakota)
Kevin Quackenbush -- Sophomore, Saint Joseph's College (Indiana)
Elliot Rausa -- Junior, Coe College (Iowa)
Taylor Russolino -- Junior, Millsaps College (Mississippi)
Jeff Schebler -- Senior, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Josh Stripling -- Junior, LaGrange College (Georgia)
Jonathan Thompson -- Senior, Bluffton University (Ohio)
Juan Velasco -- Senior, Texas A&M University-Commerce 

Selection Committee Information:
A blue-ribbon Selection Committee (listed at www.fredmitchellaward.com) will evaluate place-kickers that are nominated by Division II and III schools. There are nine members of the Pro and/or College Football Hall of Fame on the Selection Committee including Tom Beck, George Blanda, Kevin Butler, Lou Holtz, Paul Hornung, Marv Levy, Steve McMichael, Don Pierson and Gale Sayers. 

Several former football players that are active in their communities are also on the Selection Committee including Carl Allegretti, Sean Gothier, Dan Jiggetts, Jeff Michalczyk, Mark Murphy, Rob Perry, Bob Thomas, Todd Wilkins, Gary Zauner and Rob Zvonar. There are eight former college or NFL place-kickers on the Selection Committee.

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