When Eastern kicker Austin Signor began his freshman year of high school in his hometown of Urbandale, Iowa, he decided to try out for the football team.

Signor had always enjoyed playing soccer, but it wasn’t until an injury sidelined the varsity team’s starting kicker that Signor was finally given the opportunity to showcase his kicking abilities.

“Early on in the season, the varsity kicker tore his ACL and the kicking job kind of just fell to me,” Signor said.

Signor, a senior, made the most of his high school kicking opportunity by earning all-conference honors as a junior and a senior, as well as kicking 85 percent of kickoffs for touchbacks.

After high school, Signor attended Iowa where he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons. During his sophomore season, Signor averaged 60.8 yards per kickoff on 29 kicks with six touchbacks, but after suffering a groin injury in the third game of the season, Signor began a process that would eventually lead him to Eastern.

“In the end, it was a personal choice,” Signor said. ” I started there (Iowa) for two years and after my injury it just kind of began to spiral down from there. It was a late decision, but right now I feel it was the best decision for me.”

Signor transferred to Eastern prior to the 2008 fall training camp and quickly established himself as the starting kicker. He handles field goals, kick off duties and point-after-tries for the team.

In his first season as a Panther, the 6-foot-4 Signor averaged 66.7 yards per kickoff with 19 touchbacks on 60 kickoffs. His 19 touchbacks were good enough to rank him third in the country for touchbacks.

Signor credits the coaching staff for their ability to make his transition from the Iowa program to Eastern so successful.

“The coaching staff here are very personable, which made it easier to make the adjustment,” Signor said. “Never once have I felt that the coaching staff wasn’t fully confident in me with any situation they put me in. As a kicker, that really helps you to do your best on the field.”

Armed with the confidence of the coaching staff behind him, Signor has begun the 2009 season by connecting on 6-of-8 of his attempted field goals, while also making all 18 of his PATs.

Signor’s longest field goal of the season is from 42 yards, but if needed, he believes he can handle much longer distanced field goals.

“I feel I can probably kick them from anywhere on the field,” Signor said. “We come out at practice and kick 50 yards and more daily, so I feel pretty comfortable from wherever, as long as they want to put me out there.”

Neil Schneider can be reached at 581-7944 or

jnschneider@eiu.edu.

Eastern senior kicker Austin Signor has made all of his PATs this season. The Iowa transfer is 6-of-8 on field goals this season. (Alycia Rockey/The Daily Eastern News)

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