Nate Kmic
Nate Kmic (born June 22, 1987) is a former professional American football running back. He played college football at Mount Union College after graduating from Delta High School in rural Delta, Ohio
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Position: | Running back |
Personal information | |
Born: | Delta, Ohio | June 22, 1987
Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Delta High School (Delta, Ohio) |
College: | Mount Union |
Undrafted: | 2011 |
Career history | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Medal record | ||
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Men’s American football | ||
Representing | ||
World Championship | ||
2011 Austria | Team Competition |
In his college career, he set rushing records for both NCAA Division III as well as the NCAA all-division record. At Mount Union, Kmic won three NCAA Division III football championships and was a three-time All-American and three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference running back.
After playing in the 2011 IFAF World Championship, representing Team USA, he signed a professional contract with the Lappeenranta Rajaritarit (Lapeenranta Border Knights) of the Finnish Maple League (Vaahteraliiga).
He later served as an assistant coach and running backs coach for the Mount Union Purple Raiders football team from 2009 to 2012.[1] Since September 2012, Kmic has worked at Alro Steel Corporation, a distributor of metals, plastic, and industrial supplies.
College career
During the 2008 season, Kmic broke the Division III career record for rushing yards set in 2000 by R. J. Bowers of Grove City College. That year, he rushed for 2,790 yards and 43 touchdowns while also recording 262 receiving yards and 1 touchdown, setting the NCAA all-division single-season record for touchdowns with 44 and points with 264.
On December 13, 2008, he rushed for 310 yards against Wheaton College, helping lead the Purple Raiders to a 45–24 victory, earning them a trip to Salem, Virginia for the 2008 Stagg Bowl where they defeated the UW-Whitewater Warhawks 31–26 in the fourth consecutive meeting of the two programs for the Division III Championship.
In the semifinal game, Kmic brought his career rushing total to 7,986, surpassing the previous record of 7,962 held by Danny Woodhead of NCAA Division II Chadron State. Kmic rushed for 88 yards in the Stagg Bowl, bringing his total to 8,074, the most of any player in NCAA history, and the first and only player to rush for over 8,000 yards.
In April 2009, Kmic received the 2008 Melberger Award, granted annually to the outstanding Division III football player.
College statistics
Rushing | Receiving | Kick Ret | ||||||||||||
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Year | Team | GP | Att | Yards | Avg | TDs | Rec | Yards | Avg | TDs | Ret | Yds | Avg | TDs |
2005 | Mount Union | 11 | 202 | 1,219 | 6.0 | 18 | 16 | 197 | 12.3 | 1 | 12 | 283 | 23.6 | 0 |
2006 | Mount Union | 15 | 336 | 2,365 | 7.0 | 26 | 20 | 173 | 8.6 | 2 | 14 | 333 | 23.8 | 0 |
2007 | Mount Union | 15 | 274 | 1,700 | 6.2 | 38 | 14 | 117 | 8.4 | 1 | 6 | 146 | 24.3 | 0 |
2008 | Mount Union | 15 | 377 | 2,790 | 7.4 | 43 | 25 | 262 | 10.5 | 1 | 5 | 66 | 13.2 | 0 |
College totals | 56 | 1,189 | 8,074 | 6.8 | 125 | 75 | 749 | 10.0 | 5 | 37 | 828 | 22.4 | 0 |
IFAF World Championship
Nate Kmic was selected to play for Team USA at the 2011 IFAF World Championship held in Austria. In July 2011, Kmic was named the MVP of the IFAF World Championship in Austria,[2] which the USA won after defeating Canada 50–7 in the gold medal game, which saw Kmic rushing for 2 touchdowns.[3]
Professional career
After the World Championship, Kmic signed a professional contract with Finnish top-flight team Lappeenranta Rajaritarit, with whom he played the 2011 season.[4] In his first professional game, he rushed for 135 yards and 3 touchdowns. Kmic also scored an 86-yard kickoff return touchdown.[5] Lappeenranta finished the 2011 season with a 7–3 record.
References
- Kmic, University of Mount Union Athletics
- IFAF names World Championship All-Tournament Team, IFAF
- USA defends World title with 50-7 victory over Canada, IFAF
- Nate Kmic heads to the Finnish League on a quest to the Maple Bowl, IFAF
- Mount Union Running Back Nate Kmic Shines in Finnish Debut But Team Falls, University of Mount Union Athletics