WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.  – Washington State redshirt-sophomore Blake Mazza was named a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist, the Palm Beach County Sport Commission announced Thursday.

Mazza is one of 20 kickers up for the award given to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker. Former Cougar kicker Erik Powell received the same recognition during the 2017 season.

The Plano, Texas native who was named the Midseason All-America Second Team by The Athletic, entered the week tied for seventh in the county in PAT (41-41) and tied for No. 11 in the country in points (80). Mazza is 13-for-13 on field goal attempts and connected on a pair of 50-yard attempts (50 against New Mexico State, made career-long 51-yarder at Utah), tied for second-most 50-yard kicks in the country. Last season, Mazza was third in the Pac-12 in points (90) and set a single-season record with 60 made extra points.

Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on Nov. 25 and honored at the 28th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 9th in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 12.

The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.

Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 27 finalists, including 15 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home six Super Bowls. That list includes 2019 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Mike Nugent, and Cairo Santos.