Fred Mitchell Award: October Performances
 
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – An outstanding senior season continued to pay dividends for Matt Davis on Tuesday as the Richlands native was among 16 placekickers recognized by the Fred Mitchell Award for their excellence on the football field during October and for continued community service off of the field.
 
Davis, a Richlands High School product, has scored a team-best 95 points this season, while also doing damage with his punting and kickoff duties as well. He is 21-of-24 (.875) on field goal attempts, including a 5-for-5 success rate from 49 yards and beyond. He has averaged 62.9 yards on 54 kickoffs this season (25 touchbacks), and has punted 22 times for a 44.6 average. Nine of his 22 punts have gone for 50 yards or better, and eight have pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line.
 
Davis broke a pair of school records in the win at West Virginia State two weeks ago, including a 58-yard field goal right before the half that ranks as the second-longest made field goal in the NCAA this season (all divisions). He also recorded a 78-yard punt in the fourth quarter that shattered a 5-year-old program mark.
 
Off the field, Davis is a member of UNCP's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is a student leader in his Athletes In Action bible study program. He also volunteers with various homeless organizations, as well as with a physical therapy office.