Bonani named to Groza Award watch list

For the second consecutive season, a USF football player has earned preseason recognition. Kicker Maikon Bonani, the teams career leader in field goals, was one of 30 players across the nation named to the Lou Groza award watch list. The award is given to the best placekicker in college football.

Im really excited to have a guy with that experience and that mindset coming into the season, USF football coach Skip Holtz said in a press release. I couldnt be more excited about Bonani and his development.

Bonani has made 51 field goals in his USF career, surpassing the previous school record of 31 set by Santiago Gramatica. He enters his final season at USF as a preseason All-Big East first teamer, the second consecutive year hes been named to the preseason all-conference team.

Holtz hires two to staff
The USF football program will have two new faces in the 2012 season. Coach Skip Holtz added two new graduate assistants to his staff. Kurt von Bargen, former video coordinator and assistant director of football operations at Dartmouth, will be the defensive graduate assistant, and Chris Chestnut, who was the running backs coach for two seasons at Campbell, will work with the offense.

Eriksen, staff honored by NFCA
After a history-making season in 2012 that saw a run to the Womens College World Series, coach Ken Eriksen and his staff have been recognized for their accomplishments.

Eriksen, along with his assistant coaches Monica Triner and Stacey Heintz, volunteer coach Carmela Liwag and graduate assistant coach Kelly Confer were awarded the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Mideast Region Staff of the Year award.