North Carolina State University Athletics
Kiker Named to Groza Watch List
8/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 1, 2002
Wolfpack placekicker Adam Kiker has been named to the Preseason "Watch List" for the 2002 Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award. The junior from Wadesboro is one of 30 players who will compete for the honor, which will be awarded on December 10. Twenty semifinalists will be announced on November 4, while three finalists will be named on November 18.
A former walkon, Kiker ranked third in the ACC in field goals per game last season with 1.44, fourth in kick scoring (7.0 ppg) and third in field goal percentage (92.9%). His 13 field goals made tied as the eighth-best mark in school history. He also did a good job on kickoffs, with 11 touchbacks in 41 attempts.
The award, now in its 11th year, is named for NFL Hall-of-Fame kicker Lou Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Nicknamed "The Toe," Groza was one of the first people to truly make kicking an art form, and he helped usher in to football the idea that a player could be used exclusively for kicking.
Marc Primanti won the 1996 Groza Award after earning consensus All-America honors for the Wolfpack.
2002 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List
John Anderson, Sr. - University of Washington
Asen Asparuhov, Sr - Fresno State University
Justin Ayat, So. - University of Hawaii
Steve Azar, Jr. - Northern Illinois University
Johnny Beck, So. - University of Kansas
Xavier Beitia, So. - Florida State University
Billy Bennett, Jr. - University of Georgia
Peter Christofilakos, Sr. - University of Illinois
David Davis, Sr. - University of Southern Cal
Drew Dunning, Jr. - Washington State University
Damon Duval, Sr. - Auburn University
Damon Fine, Jr. - University of Nevada
Curtis Head, Sr. - Marshall University
Adam Kiker, Jr. - North Carolina State University
Luke Manget, Sr. - Georgia Tech
Dusty Mangum, So. - University of Texas
Seth Marler, Sr. - Tulane University
Kevin Miller, Sr. - East Carolina University
Nick Novak, So - University of Maryland
Matt Payne, So. - Brigham Young University
Luke Phillips, Jr. - Oklahoma State University
Jonathan Ruffin, Sr. - University of Cincinnati
Josh Scobee, Jr. - Louisiana Tech
Nicholas Setta, Sr. - University of Notre Dame
Todd Sievers, Sr. - University of Miami (FL)
Nate Smith , Jr. - University of Louisville
Robert Treece, Sr. - Texas Tech University
Alex Walls, Sr. - University of Tennessee
J.D. Wallum, Sr. - University of Wyoming
Daniel Weaver, Jr. - University of South Carolina
