For any good football season, success comes from a good team and good players. The Winona State University football team is currently undefeated, and this success must be coming from within the team. The team stands at 5-0, the best record the team has held since 2003.

After the team took Upper Iowa State University 37-7 on Saturday, Sept. 30, the NSIC recognized Winona State senior kicker Carter McCauley as a football player of the week.

The kicker is an undervalued position in the game of football, yet it is a position where McCauley has found success throughout his football career. McCauley’s success has been partially measured by his awards, having earned such awards as being named to the CoSIDA All-District First Team in 2015 and 2016, being named a CoSIDA All-American in 2016.

McCauley has also set the school record for most field goals made at 18, a record he is currently on pace to break this season. In addition to his sports accomplishments, he has done well enough in the classroom to earn a place on the NSIC All-Academic team in both 2015 and 2016, an accolade that recognizes student-athletes who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or better.

“Through 6 a.m. lifts, early-morning meetings, practices, long road trips and games, it has truly been an honor to play football at Winona State University,” McCauley said.

Unlike a lot of players in the sport, McCauley didn’t start playing football until his junior year in high school. Fortunately for him, his experience in a different sport involving kicking a ball helped in his transition to his new one.

“I was in the weight room my freshman year, training for soccer, and the football coaches came up to me asking if I would consider kicking for the football team. Since I was a soccer player, I could pick up the position fast,” McCauley said.

McCauley ended up playing soccer and football in the same season during high school.

With his time at Winona State coming to a close, McCauley plans to further his education next fall in medical school. He is currently majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a Pre-Medical focus.

During his free time, McCauley tries to keep himself busy exercising and in the outdoors.

“I like to stay active whether that is running, rollerblading, training, playing every type of sport or just being outside,” McCauley said.

In his final season with the team McCauley has done his job putting points on the scoreboard, going 10-11 on field goal attempts and 22-23 on extra point attempts.

“It has been an awesome experience. I have had the opportunity to grow as an athlete and as a leader while on this team,” McCauley said.

This past weekend, McCauley went 3-4 on field goal attempts and a 4-4 on extra point attempts as the Winona State football team continued its undefeated streak by defeating Upper Iowa University, 37-7

The team will look to keep the momentum going as they travel to South Dakota this weekend to take on the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m.