Manchester, N.H., junior is among 24 placekickers honored for excellence on the field and in the community for the month of September
The Fred Mitchell Award September Release
EASTON, Mass. (October 3, 2014) – Stonehill College junior Steve Grzywacz (Manchester, New Hampshire/Manchester Central) is among 24 place-kickers recognized by The Fred Mitchell Award for their excellence on the football field and in the community during the month of September.
The Fred Mitchell Award honors place-kickers from NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, Division III, the NAIA and junior colleges for not only great performance on the field of play, but in the community as well. Grzywacz, named to the Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List in July, is one of six honorees from Division II and one of two from the Northeast-10 Conference for September. It marks the second time over his career he has earned a Fred Mitchell monthly award after also being selected following October 2012.
Grzywacz ranks second for Stonehill in scoring with 17 points following the first month of the season, having converted 3-of-4 field goals, including all three inside 30 yards, and all eight extra points over the first four games. With his efforts last month, he broke the program's career record for field goals made, surpassing the previous record of 20 set by Joe Crowley, '04, with his season-long 28 yard field goal at American International College in week three. Grzywacz's 26 yard field goal in Stonehill's week two win at Bentley University put the Skyhawks up seven midway through the fourth quarter on their way to their first win in Waltham since 1995. He also added a 22 yard field goal in Saturday night's 33-19 win over Merrimack College.
Grzywacz ranks fourth in the Northeast-10 for field goals made this fall, while also ranking fifth in kicker scoring and eighth in extra points made. He enters this weekend ranked second in program history with his 33 career field goal attempts, just five shy of Crowley's career record, and 70 career extra points made, 17 shy of the career record of 87 by Pat Matthews, '96.
Grzywacz volunteers for a mentoring program with the Brockton High School chapter of "Let's Get Ready," a program that offers counseling and free SAT prep to students from low income families. He served as a match coach which involved working with students on math skills and tips on how to take the math portion of the SAT exam and also worked with sessions called "college choice" to advise students on various aspects of college preparation, exploring and researching potential schools, reviewing the college application process as well as helping students register for the SAT. Grzywacz volunteers for the Special Olympics program at Stonehill and the Easton Elementary School Recess Day program.
Grzywacz, a second team All-Northeast-10 selection in 2013, has scored 136 career points over his career to rank sixth all-time at Stonehill. He set a program record for field goals made with 11 his freshman season, while his eight field goals in 2013 ranks second on the program's single-season list and his 62 career PATs ranks third in program history. Grzywacz has been named to the Northeast-10's Commissioner's Honor Roll three semesters and Stonehill's Athletic Director's Honor Roll once. He was also selected to the NE-10's All-Rookie team following his freshman season.
Stonehill (2-2, 2-1 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday night when it hosts the University of New Haven for a Northeast-10 battle at W.B. Mason Stadium at 6 p.m. The College will welcome back members of its 1989 New England Football Conference Championship team for a 25th anniversary reunion.
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