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HEBERER
NAMED NAIA NATIONAL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER
OF THE WEEK; 2-0 SAINTS JUST ONE SPOT SHY
OF NAIA TOP 25
For Immediate Release
September 12, 2005
University
of St. Francis redshirt freshman placekicker/punter
Nick Heberer (Washington H.S./Washington
IL) has been named the NAIA National
Special Teams Player of the Week after converting
on all four field goal attempts in the Saints’
19-16 victory over Urbana University of
Ohio on Saturday afternoon. Heberer
was nominated for the national honor after
being named the Mid-States Football Association/Midwest
League Special Teams Player of the Week
earlier Monday.
Heberer established a USF single-game
record with his four successful kicks, the
last of which provided the game’s winning
points from 44 yards out with just 51 seconds
remaining. He also averaged 61 yards per
kickoff and pinned the visiting Blue Knights
deep in their own territory with an average
of 33 yards on four punts.
"Nick really did an outstanding job
with the four field goals," said USF
first-year head coach Mike Uremovich.
"That last one was tremendous, considering
the wind in his face and the game on the
line. All of his hard work in the off-season
has really paid off. I’m thankful we
have him for three more years after this
one."
Heberer has provided the winning
points in each of the unbeaten Saints’
first two games. His 37-yard, third-quarter
field goal was the margin of difference
in a season-opening 10-7 victory over St.
Joseph’s of Indiana on Sept. 3.
The young Saints, whose 64-man roster includes
34 freshmen, are 2-0 for just the third
time in the program’s 20-year history
and for the first time since 1993, the final
year under legendary head coach and program
builder Gordie Gillespie.
USF received a total of 41 points in NAIA
ratings released Monday. The Saints are
just nine points shy of the final spot in
the Top 25 poll.
The top 25 includes five schools from USF’s
conference, the Mid-States Football Association-Midwest
League. McKendree leads the way at No. 6,
followed by Trinity International at No.
12, St. Xavier at No. 14, St. Ambrose of
Iowa at No. 18 and Olivet Nazarene at No.
22.
USF will try to open a season 3-0 for the
first time in progam history when it plays
its first road game of 2005 at No. 16 Geneva
in Beaver Falls, Pa., on Saturday evening.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CST (WCSF, 88.7
FM).
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