BEAUMONT, Texas – Just days being named first-team All-Southland Conference, Lamar University senior kicker Ben Woodard has also been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Fred Mitchell Award – an award that recognizes kickers nominated for their success throughout the regular season.
 
The namesake for the award, Fred Mitchell, was a longtime (1974–2015) award-winning sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune and the author of 12 sports books. Mitchell set the NCAA record for career kick-scoring at Wittenberg University in 1968 among "College Division" schools that are now classified as FCS, Division II and Division III.
 
Woodard is just one of 41 kickers vying for the award which covers NCAA FCS, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and NJCAA kickers. He is one of just 23 kickers from the NCAA FCS level.
 
A Plano, Texas native, Woodard became a dominant force for the Cardinals in 2025. A two-time Southland Special Teams Player of the Week selection, Woodard received STATS Perform FCS National Player of the Week honors after a week that saw him boot two 50-plus yard field goals, including a school record long for the game-winner. The 57-yard school-record, game-winning kick marked the second time in his career that Woodard has converted a kick of at least 50 yards to win a game.
 
Woodard led the Southland with 14 made field goals this season, including three from at least 50 yards. He converted 14-of-18 (.778) attempts and was a perfect 30-of-30 on PATs. Woodard ended the season tied for fourth in the league in scoring (72 points).
 
The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be announced in December based on performance on the football field and in the community.