C.J. Bahr

SLIPPERY ROCK — When it comes to kicking a football, Slippery Rock University junior C.J. Bahr has the right last name.

Not that he needs it.

Bahr is one of 10 finalists for the inaugural Fred Mitchell Award, presented to an NCAA Division II or III kicker for excellence on the football field and in the community.

The finalists were selected from a pool of more than 390 nominees. The selection committee includes nine members of the Pro and/or College Football Hall of Fame and eight former college or NFL kickers.

"C.J. is very deserving of this," SRU coach George Mihalik said. "He's improved each year he's been with us and has established himself as the best kicker in our conference."

Bahr was a first-team, all-PSAC kicker this season after scoring 54 points. He converted nine of 14 field goal opportunities and 27 of 28 PATs. He has made 112 of 116 in PATs in three years at SRU and had a school-record 65 in a row at one point.

Bahr's father, Chris, and uncle, Matt, kicked at Penn State University and enjoyed lengthy careers in the NFL.

"C.J. hasn't lived off their name. He's built his own list of accomplishments," Mihalik said. "His effort and hard work should produce a stellar senior season with us."

It might land him this award as well. The Mitchell Award is sponsored by the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter and is named for Fred Mitchell, a record-setting kicker at Wittenberg University and a Chicago Tribune sports columnist.

Bahr will enter his senior season ranked second in SRU history with 112 PATs, third with 25 field goals and seventh with 187 points.

"I'm honored just to be a finalist for this award," Bahr said. "I'm hoping to work in sports marketing or facility operations as a career, so I'm not counting on football at the next level.

"If the opportunity presents itself, I'll take it. I'm just not banking on it."

Mihalik said Bahr "will almost certainly be in some NFL team's preseason camp next year."

A sports management major, Bahr tutors underprivileged youths at the I Care House in New Castle, assists with YMCA youth soccer and football clinics in the State College area and is developing a marketing plan for the State College Spikes minor league baseball team.

"As part of my major, we had to put in some volunteer hours and I enjoyed working with the kids at the I Care House. I've just stayed with it," Bahr said.

Bahr said he needs to work on his leg strength to hit deeper kickoffs. His career-long field goal is 48 yards.

"Power has probably been my biggest area of improvement since I've been here," he said. "But I know I can get still stronger."

The winner of the Mitchell Award will be announced Dec. 21. The winner's school will receive scholarship money.

The award will be presented Feb. 22 as part of the group's awards ceremony at Halas Hall in Chicago.

The other nine finalists are Alex Beard (Quincy, Ill.), Craig Burgess (Indiana, Pa.), Jay Carpenter (Mount Union, Ohio), Gordon Craig (Dickinson, Pa.), Zack Harris (Wittenberg, Ohio), Nick Hope (Wayne State, Neb.), Garrett Lindholm (Tarleton State, Texas), Garrett Rolsma (Central Washington) and Jeff Schebler (Wisconsin-Whitewater).