By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com
BRADENTON, Fla. - Nick Tankersley, a second-team Ray Guy Prokicker.com All-American kicker, has signed to play for Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tenn.
Tankersley was selected second-team field goal kicker and third-team kickoff specialist on the inaugural Prokicker.com All-American list. He is a senior at Manatee High School, which captured the Flroida 7A championship last fall with a 13-2 record.
Tankersley was instrumental toward that success with one of the strongest legs in the country. He maded 18 of 26 field goals, with a long of 53 yards, a school record. Four of his misses were from 50-plus yards out.
He also had 68 touchbacks on 100 kickoffs and punted 39 times for net average of 37.18. Tankersley's sky-high punts allowed only 28 return yards all season.
Tankersley will be punting at first for the Eagles, whose punter from last season tore his ACL in a pickup basketball game. That opened the door for Tankersley, who hopes to compete for the other coaching job as well.
“Knowing I'm going to a program that has been successful with a winning tradition was important,” he said. “Right now they're definitely in need of a punter.”
It all came togther starting last Friday when Tankersley made a visit. “They interviewed me to see if I was the right man for the job. I'll probably be the punter right away.”
Tankersley was put in touch with Carson-Newman through Manatee's head of recruiting. He said his exprerience with Prokicker.com was instrumental in development.
“(Prokicker.com camp director) Rick Sang played a huge role in helping me get recruited,” Tankersley said. “Bringing people in like (Dolphin punter) Brandon Fields and (Redskins kicker) Graham Gano was amazing. It helps you pick up on the small stuff.”
Tankersley will be on full scholarship with athletic and financial aid, he said. The All-American also had an offer from Elizabethtown City State in Florida but Carson-Newman “was a much better fit,” he said.
Tankersley joins a big recruiting class of 56 other freshman student-athletes that were signed on National Signing Day. He is the only kicker of the group.
“He can do all of it (in the kicking game),” said Manatee assistant coach Dennis Stallard. “He’s probably more natural kicker/kickoff guy. He taught himself through what he learned at Prokicker.com camps. It’s not a natural motion for a kid with a soccer background.”
Carson-Newman has won 21 South Atlantic Conference championships since 1983, claimed five NAIA national championships in the 1980's and has reached the NCAA Division II championship game three times (1996, 1998, 1999).
Coach Ken Sparks is the 12th all-time winningest coach in the history of college football. He will begin the 2012 season one win away from reaching 300 for his career.
