PHILADELPHIA - The post-season awards continue to roll in for Illinois State placekicker Zach Kutch, after being selected to the 2009 Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision All-America team released on Wednesday.
Kutch, a second-team selection by TSN voters, was one of 12 Missouri Valley Football Conference student-athletes honored by the organization (the third-most selections of any conference). This award comes after Kutch was previously named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.
The Milton, Fla., native earned first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors 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.
He 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.
Kutch 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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