AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn senior kicker Anders Carlson earned CoSIDA first team Academic All-America honors for the 2020 season, it was announced Monday.
Carlson, Auburn's placekicker for the past three seasons, graduated in December with a 3.92 GPA in professional flight management and is currently pursuing an MBA at Auburn. Carlson was a second-team All-American and a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2020, connecting on 20-22 field goals and 24-25 PAT last season. He has scored 275 career points, fourth in Auburn history.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field or court and in the classroom. Voting in football was delayed this school year because some divisions played a spring schedule.
"I was proud of the season I had last year," said Carlson, who connected on 90.9 percent of his field goal attempts in 2020. "I had some goals and I was right there where I wanted to be. One or two kicks the other way and I think I could have been the top guy in the nation.
"For me, it's not really about last year. I'm going to carry the positives and confidence into this year and really seek after that goal again. I love Auburn. I wanted to prove myself one more year."
Previous first team Auburn football Academic All-America honorees: Jimmy "Red" Phillips (1957), Jackie Burkett (1959), Ed Dyas (1960), Bill Cody (1965), Buddy McClinton (1969), Pat Sullivan (1971), Bobby Davis (1974), Chuck Fletcher (1975), Chris Vacarella (1976), Jim Skuthan (1980), Gregg Carr (1984), Matt Hawkins (1984-85), Dontarrioius Thomas (2003) and Tyler Stovall (2017).Anders Carlson, Academic All-American