Sam Swank, Wake Forest University

2006—First team preseason All-ACC by Phil Steele’s Magazine... Second team preseason All-ACC by Lindy’s... third team preseason All-ACC by Athlon... ranked by Lindy’s as the 9th-best kicker nationally and 14th by The Sporting News...

2005—A Lou Groza Award Semifinalist... first team freshman All-American by The Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews.com and Scout.com... selected second team Freshman All-American by Rivals.com... named to The Sporting News' ACC All-Freshman Team... chosen to the Raleigh News & Observer's All-Big Four Team... received one vote for ACC Rookie of the Year... hit the third-longest and fourth-longest field goals in school history with a 52-yarder against Miami and a 51-yarder at Nebraska... broke the school freshman record for scoring (86 points)... made 11 consecutive field goal attempts to break a school record (beginning Oct. 8 at Florida State and ending November 12 vs. Miami)... his 19 field goals were the most in a single season in Wake Forest history... his 79.2 percent accuracy and 24 attempts were the second-highest in school history... his 86 points were the third-most in school history, the most by ever by a kicker, the most by any Deacon since Larry Russell in 1981 (94) and the fifth-most by a freshman in ACC history behind only two kickers, Nick Novak of Maryland and Scott Bentley of Florida State, both of whom played in the NFL... ranked 3rd in the ACC and ninth nationally in field goals per game (1.7), 3rd in the ACC in field goal percentage (79.2)... fourth in the ACC and 40th in the NCAA in scoring (7.8)... hit four field goals on the final play of the first half vs. Vanderbilt, Nebraska, Maryland and Boston College... played in all 11 of Wake Forest's games... averaged 61.2 yards on kickoffs with 19 touchbacks... netted 39.1 yards on kickoffs... made two-of-three field goals against Vanderbilt, his career debut... hit from 34 and 22 and missed from 39... went 1-of-2 at Nebraska with a successful 51-yard attempt and a 35-yard miss... went a perfect 3-for-3 against ECU from 39, 47 and 30... made his only attempt against Maryland, a 42-yarder... made 1-of-2 in the Clemson game, making a 33-yarder and missing from 40... missed his first attempt at Florida State from 28 yards, but made his second from 29... that started the record-breaking string of 11 successful attempts... went 3-of-3 in the rain at Boston College, making kicks of 20, 32 and 34... hit both kicks against NC State from 27 and 40... made all three attempts on the road at Duke from 45, 38 and 27 yards... nailed a 23-yarder at Georgia Tech... hit a career-best 52-yarder against Miami, but missed his final attempt of the season, a 42-yarder... punted once against Duke for 30 yards, dropping in inside the 20-yardline.

2004—Redshirted the season as a true freshman behind returning starter Matt Wisnosky.

High School—A four-year starter as a placekicker... also handled punting and kickoff duties... a three-time all-conference selection... earned all-state honors in 2000... was 27-of-35 in field goals during his prep career... converted field goals of 51 and 54 yards as a senior... scored over 200 points... helped team to an 11-2 record and a regional final appearance... also a member of Fletcher's soccer team, which was ranked No. 1 in Florida... an excellent student with a 3.8 GPA who is graduating in the top 25 percent of his class... named Fletcher's Student-Athlete of the Year... coached by Joe Reynolds at Fletcher.

Personal—A communications major... born October 5, 1985 in Lakeland, Fla.... the son of Gary and Sheila Swank.

 



 


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