The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State athletics communications.
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State senior punter Kirby Van Der Kamp has been invited to participate in the 2014 Senior Bowl, one college football’s oldest annual All-Star games. Van Der Kamp, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, has garnered attention throughout his outstanding four-year Cyclone career as one of the nation’s best punters.
The Senior Bowl is an all-star game played annually in Mobile, Ala., where NFL prospects who have completed their eligibility get the chance to showcase their abilities. Iowa State has sent 23 players and one coach to the Senior Bowl in school history, with current NFL players Leonard Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Kelechi Osemele (Baltimore Ravens) being the most recent participants in 2011.
The game will be played on January 25, 2014.
Van Der Kamp’s booming punts and pinpoint accuracy have been on display this year. The West Des Moines, Iowa native has booted 17 punts of 50 or more yards this season, while pinning opponents inside their own 20 yard line 25 times. His career 42.6 yards per punt average is the second-best total in school history and the 20th best career average in NCAA history.
ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper recently listed Van Der Kamp as the top punter in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Van Der Kamp will play his final home game in Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m., as the Cyclones play host to Kansas on Senior Night.
Cyclone Senior Bowl Participants
1955 – Max Burkett
1962 – Dave Hoppmann, Chuck Walton
1963 – Dave Hoover
1964 – John Van Sicklen
1966 – Eppie Barney
1968 – Tom Busch
1969 – Coach Clay Stapleton
1972 – Dean Carlson
1973 – Merv Krakau
1974 – Matt Blair
1975 – Tom Goedjen
1977 – Luther Blue
1979 – Mike Stensrud
1981 – Kenny Neil
1983 – Bruce Reimers
1986 – Dennis Gibson
2000 – Sage Rosenfels
2001 – Ennis Haywood
2002 – Seneca Haywood
2003 – Jordan Carstens
2007 – Ahtyba Rubin
2011 – Leonard Johnson, Kelechi Osemele
2013- Kirby Van Der Kamp
