NORMAL, Ill. - After a record-setting senior season, Illinois State placekicker Zach Kutch was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press Wednesday.
This award comes after Kutch was named a first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection following his final season in a Redbird uniform. A two-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week during the year, Kutch set a new ISU and Valley single-season record with 22 field goals made during the season.
Kutch finished the season 22-for-29 in field goal attempts, with six of his seven misses coming from 40 yards or more. His field goal per game average (2.0) finished the season tied for first in the nation with Liberty's Matt Bevins, who earned first-team honors on the AP All-America squad.
The Milton, Fla., native earned his first Valley weekly honor after setting a new school and league record with six field goals made in a victory at home against Western Illinois. Following that performance, Kutch was also named a College Sporting News National All-Star.
His second weekly honor came after he nailed a pair of 50+ yard field goals in a 22-20 upset win over No. 9 Northern Iowa in the season finale. Kutch nailed a career-long 52-yard field goal against the Panthers and also connected from 51-yards, making him the first player in school history and just the fifth in league history to hit two field goals from 50 yards or more in the same game.
Kutch also served as the team's kickoff specialist, where he averaged 57.7 yards per kickoff with five touchbacks, and finished the season a perfect 25-for-25 in point after touchdown attempts (PAT).
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