YSU's Nowicki getting his last kicks

[dbackjon]

For Youngstown State senior punter Ben Nowicki, life after football might involve becoming a sports agent, since the Gilbert, Ariz., native had was successful selling himself to the Penguins.

After the 6-foot, 170-pounder graduated from Mesquite High School, he enrolled at Mesa Community College where he had a great freshman season, leading the nation in punting with a 44.2 yard per average and earning first team All-National Junior College Athletic Association honors.

Nowicki didn’t want to spend two years at Mesa but the NCAA Division I programs he contacted wanted him to spend another year in junior college.

So he made a list of the top-25 Division I-AA football teams in the country and began sending out his films and resumes to everyone. Luckily (for them) Youngstown State answered.

“I was determined to play Division I football as a sophomore,” Nowicki said. “So I just made my list and went right down it. I think YSU was in the top 10 or 12 teams at the time and they answered quickly.”

Nowicki came to YSU in the summer of 2007 and he’s been the team’s starting punter for all but one game over the past two seasons. He missed last year’s finale at Western Illinois with an injury.

He’s earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honorable mention both of the last two seasons and also was a second team Academic all-conference last fall.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/apr/11/f ... n-nowicki/

[guinzone]

His backup, Nick Liste, could end up in the NFL if he performs like I think he will. He was top 3 in all of Ohio last year in punting!