LORETTO, Pa. (Jan. 25, 2013) – Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) of the Saint Francis University football team completed his career with the Red Flash this fall and is currently in training to try and continue his career at the professional level.
 
The senior kicker was honored following his senior season with first-team All-Northeast Conference honors and was also named a Beyond Sports Network Second Team All-American. With an excellent showing in his senior season in which Thiel set school records for career field goals made, extra points and points at Saint Francis the native of Leesburg, Va. earned a pair of All-Star game invitations. Thiel earned invites to the FCS Senior Scout Bowl and the USA Freedom Bowl.
 
Thiel tallied a pair of extra points in the Senior Scout Bowl and put all but one of his kicks into the end zone for touchbacks. Thiel also impressed several scouts in attendance at the contest in Myrtle Beach, S.C. with a 49-yard kick in over time to give his North Team a 17-14 lead. The contest was played under NFL rules and the South Team was able to drive for a winning touchdown but the kick by the native of Leesburg, Va. impressed scouts in attendance. Theil also took on some punting duties in the game and posted solid numbers averaging 39.8-yards per punt and pinned the South inside the 20-yard line one time.
 
The USA Freedom Bowl gave Thiel another opportunity to showcase his skills in front of NFL, CFL, IFL and AFL scouts in attendance in a game held in his native Virginia at Virginia Beach. SFU's all-time leading scorer wasted little time impressing not only scouts but also his fellow teammates, who voted him a captain for the game. Thiel got the attention of everyone at the contest with a 62-yard field goal during practice. Thiel placed all but one of his kicks into the end zone for touchbacks and once again took on some punting responsibilities. He once again put together a solid showing averaging 38-yards per kick. Thiel was accompanied to the USA Freedom Bowl by SFU kicking coach Steve Gironda, who served as the Special Teams Coach for the Generals in the game.
 
“Coach Stephen has helped me grow as a person and an athlete,” Thiel said. “We joke around a lot but he has taught me a lot of things and I can not thank him enough for all he has done.”
 
Thiel continues his professional training and has been invited to attend the Beyond Sport Network Combine in Akron, Ohio on March 8-10.