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Drew Stevens Named Lou Groza Award SemifinalistDrew Stevens Named Lou Groza Award Semifinalist
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Drew Stevens Named Lou Groza Award Semifinalist

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa sophomore kicker Drew Stevens has been selected as one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award for the second straight year. The Lou Groza Award is presented to the top collegiate place kicker.

Stevens is the third Hawkeye to be a two-time Groza Award semifinalist; Nate Kaeding won the award in 2002 and was a finalist in 2003, while Mike Meyer was a semifinalist in 2011 and 2012. Iowa has had a Groza Award semifinalist four of the last five seasons: Keith Duncan (2019), Caleb Shudak (2021) and Stevens (2022 and 2023).

The native of North Augusta, S.C., has made 14 of his 18 field-goal attempts and 30 of his 40 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks in 2023. Stevens was recognized as the Big Ten Special Teams Player of Week on Nov. 6 after making a game-winning 53-yard field goal with 14 seconds left at Northwestern. He made all four field-goal attempts, including a 53-yarder, in Iowa’s victory over Michigan State on Sept. 30, 2023.

Stevens was a second-team freshman All-American in 2022 after making 16 of his 18 field-goal attempts. His 16 field goals made are the most by a Hawkeye freshman.

For his career, Stevens has made 30 of his 36 field-goal attempts (5-of-5 from 30-39; 6-of-11 from 40-49; 4-for-5 from 50-59) and converted all 36 PAT attempts.

Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on Nov. 28 and honored at the Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 4 in Palm Beach County, Florida. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 8.

The Groza Award, established in 1992, is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” 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.

The Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2) host Rutgers at 2:40 p.m. (CT) on Saturday on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium. The game will be televised live on Big Ten Network and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Hawkeye Semifinalists
Cooper DeJean – Jim Thorpe Award
Joe Evans – Burlsworth Trophy
Jay Higgins – Dick Butkus Award
Drew Stevens – Lou Groza Award