RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Senior kicker Brysen Gardner of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) football team is one of just 39 kickers on the preseason watch list for the 2026 Fred Mitchell Award, which honors the top kicker among those on the more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams, based on performance on the football field and in the community.
 
Gardner is one of two kickers in the Southland Conference, along with East Texas A&M's Ozlo Rigby, and one of 15 in the FCS, on the list.
 
Gardner was a semifinalist for the Fred Mitchell Award and earned Phil Steele All-Conference Fourth Team honors last season. He's also a Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Second Team selection this year.
 
Last season, Gardner ranked 30^th in the FCS and first in the Southland in field goals per game (1.08) and scoring (7.3), 41^st in the FCS and second in the Southland in total points scored (87), 42^nd in the FCS and fourth in the Southland in field goal percentage (.765), 115^th in the FCS and sixth in the Southland in points responsible for per game (7.3), and 118^th in the FCS and sixth in the Southland in points responsible for (87). He kicked a career-high four field goals vs. East Texas A&M (11/22). Gardner connected on all 48 PAT attempts, including a career-high eight vs. UIW (10/25). He also kicked off three times for career-high 175 yards vs. Sul Ross State (8/30).
 
2026 Fred Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List
Seth Adams, Southern Illinois University – FCS
Fred Adler, Widener University – DIII
Nico Cavanillas Alti, South Carolina State University – FCS
Tristan Alvano, South Dakota State University – FCS
Luke Barnes, Elon University – FCS
Iden Bone, Whitworth University – DIII
Kieran Corr, Harvard University – FCS
Marciel Do Amaral, Western Connecticut State University – DIII
Connor Fournier, Minnesota State University, Mankato – DII
Brysen Gardner, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – FCS
Jacob Garbett, Augustana College – DIII
Logan Grwinski, Albion College – DIII
Elijah Guyton, University of West Alabama – DII
Alex Hanson, Reinhardt University – NAIA
Evan Harvey, Pacific Lutheran University – DIII
Ethan Hess, St. Olaf College – DIII
Levi Hilborn, Louisiana Christian University – NAIA
Christian Klobe, Benedictine College – NAIA
Preston Kyle, Colorado School of Mines – DII
Aiden Lanier, Bethune-Cookman University – FCS
Andrew Lastovka, Youngstown State University – FCS
Stephen Leinen, Dordt University – NAIA
Brandon McCary, Emporia State University – DII
Agustin Miguel, Bridgewater College – DIII
Brady Myers, Virginia Union University – DII
Jared Navidad, Pembroke – DII
Noah Piper, Yale University – FCS
Ty Quintois, Stroudsburg University – DII
Harry Radcliffe, PennWest California – DII
Bleu Renfrow, William Jewell College – DII
Ozlo Rigby, East Texas A&M University – FCS
Layne Ryals, Missouri University of Science and Technology – DII
Emiliano Salazar, University of San Diego – FCS
Myles Sansted, Montana State University – FCS
Austin Schmitt, Pittsburg State University – DII
Jackson Smith, Colorado State University Pueblo – DII
Brett Starling, Hampton University – FCS
Samuel Tremblay, University of Maine – FCS
Ian Vachon, University of North Alabama – FCS

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