MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois sophomore Pat Smith (Quincy/Notre Dame) joined a list of 50 placekickers nationwide to earn a spot on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List. The award recipient will be chosen based on excellence on the football field and in the community (www.fredmitchellaward.com), and will be announced in December.

This honor is named after Fred Mitchell, a record-setting placekicker, Wittenberg University Hall of Famer, author, philanthropist and Chicago Tribune sports columnist. The 50 kickers include student-athletes from more than 750 Division I FCS, Division II, Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) institutions.

Smith took over as the Leathernecks' starter midway through the season, and during the final six games converted all 21 extra point attempts and made 5-of-7 field goals. He made three FGs in the regular season finale win against Northern Iowa and a key field goal in the Division I playoff win at Coastal Carolina.

A preseason All-MVFC selection according to Phil Steele Preseason Publication, Smith has worked as a Kindergarten Buddy Program, YMCA Youth Football coach and MS Telethon volunteer among other civic volunteer activities.

According to the Award's selection committee chairman Chris Kearney, "These placekickers are terrific on the football field and off the field representing their schools, their football teams, their conferences, their communities, their families and themselves. We look forward to following their accomplishments during the next few months."