WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Miami's Dom Dzioban was one of 30 collegiate kickers named to the 2025 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List, announced today by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is given annually to the college football's top placekicker.
Dzioban was a semifinalst for the award as well as First Team All-MAC selection a year ago. Dzioban converted on 26-of-30 field goals and 33-of-34 extra points during the 2024 season, highlighted by a five field goal performance at home against Central Michigan.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Tuesday, November 18th. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, November 25th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Friday, December 12th during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 34th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizesthe three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banqueton December 8th in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The Award 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. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
MACtion on Preseason Watch Lists
Maxwell Award
Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo
Parker Navarro, Ohio
Tucker Gleason, Toledo
Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan
Bronko Nagurski
Red Murdock, Buffalo
Jim Thorpe Award
Tank Pearson, Ohio
DJ Walker, Ohio
Avery Smith, Toledo
Paul Hornung Award
Ty Harding, UMass
Trayvon Rudolph, Toledo
Victor Snow, Buffalo
Lou Groza Award
Dom Dzioban, Miami
