MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois place kicker Antonio Chadha earns some early-season recognition for not only what he does on the football field but what he does off of it. Chadha was one of 35 recipients named to the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Placekicker Award watch list.
The Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania native was a third-team Phil Steele Big South-OVC all-conference player on special teams in his first season as a Leatherneck. Chadha appeared in all 12 games, making 15 field goals with a long of 50 yards.
The Fred Mitchell Award recognizes 35 placekickers for their excellence on the football field throughout the 2024 season and for their off-field contributions throughout the year.
The Fred Mitchell Award will recognize kickers who were nominated by their schools or are at the top of their division for terrific performances through November 22, 2025 (regular season statistics only). The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be announced in December based on performance on the football field and in the community.
"The 2025 Fred Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List includes excellent kickers and community-minded individuals from over 750 non-FBS colleges in America," said Mitchell. "Our 37-man Selection Committee looks forward to monitoring the seasons of these kickers, as well as those whose names might not appear on this list and yet deserve the utmost attention. Be sure to check our website http://www.fredmitchellaward.com for monthly recognition and updates. Many thanks to FMA co-chairmen Matt Cotiguala and Rob Perry for their efforts in crafting this list. Over the past 15 years, several kickers from the Preseason Watch List wound up kicking professionally. Best of luck to all kickers in the 2025 season!"
The breakdown of the 35 placekickers is as follows:
• 10 returning list members
• 3 previous list members transferred to FBS programs
• Collegiate Division – 15 FCS, 9 Division II, 7 Division III, 3 NAIA, and 1 3C2A
• Year – 16 seniors, 13 juniors, 6 sophomores
In alphabetical order, the Fred Mitchell Award Preseason nominees for the 2025 season are listed below:
Mathew Bacik – Sophomore
Grand Valley State University – DII
Jack Barnum – Senior
Central Connecticut State University – FCS
Christopher Baldazo – Senior
Arkansas Tech University – DII
Riley Callaghan – Senior
Southeastern Louisiana University – FCS
Christian Casillas – Junior
Saint Xavier University – NAIA
Antonio Chadha – Junior
Western Illinois University – FCS
Landon Eaker – Senior
LaGrange College – DIII
Braxtyn Green – Junior
North Carolina Wesleyan College – DIII
Reice Griffith – Junior
Mercer University – FCS
Elijah Guyton – Senior
University of West Alabama – DII
Tyler Huettel – Senior
University of Wisconsin-Stout – DIII
Thien Hoang – Sophomore
Lewis and Clark College - DIII
Dieter Kelly – Sophomore
College of the Canyons – 3C2A
Enda Kirby – Senior
Stony Brook University – FCS
Will Leyand – Senior
South Dakota University – FCS
Job Matossian – Senior
University of the Cumberlands – NAIA
Nick Mazzie – Senior
University of New Hampshire – FCS
Brett Money – Junior
Aurora University – DIII
Ty Morrison – Senior
Montana University – FCS
Brad Paxton – Sophomore
Johns Hopkins University – DIII
Brack Peacock – Junior
University of the Incarnate Word – FCS
Cameron Pope – Senior
Idaho University – FCS
Hunter Ridley – Senior, University of California, Davis – FCS
AJ Rhodes – Senior
Ashland University – DII
Ben Rudolph – Sophomore, Tiffin University – DII
Lorcan Ryans – Junior
Tuskegee University – DII
Myles Sansted – Sophomore
Montana State University – FCS
Seth Simpson – Senior
Baker University – NAIA
Tyler Simpson – Junior Shorter University – DII
Matthew Swink – Junior
Carroll University – DIII
Kameron Van Prooyen – Junior
Southern Nazarene University – DII
Luke Vogeler – Junior
Colgate University – FCS
Mathias Uribe – Senior
Portland State University – FCS
Jason Zapata – Junior
Livingstone College – DII
Alan Zhao – Junior
Cornell University – FCS
