Sam Kuhter (standing, left) is praised for his career as the University of Northern Iowa punter by head football coach Mark Farley (right.) -Photo provideds

Sam Kuhter, a 2013 South Tama County graduate, recently completed a successful career as the punter for the University of Northern Iowa football team.

As a three-year starter for the Panthers special teams, Kuhter averaged 41.9 yards per punt, making 200 total punt attempts and had 8,385 career punting yards which were statistically the 2nd longest average, the 2nd most career punt attempts and the most punt yards in Panther history.

He also had a career long 76 yard punt this past season in a road loss against North Dakota State. Kuhter also had 68 punts land inside the 20 yard line, had 43 punts of 50 or more yards, and 76 of his 200 punts fair caught by the opposing team, all UNI football career records.

Finishing this season as the nation’s twenty first ranked punter, after spending most of the season in the nations top ten in average yards per punt, Kuhter was named to the 2nd team All Missouri Valley Football team. This follows Kuhter being named 2nd team All MVFC in 2015 and Honorable Mention All MVFC in 2016. Sam also earned the most valuable athlete for the UNI Panthers Special teams for two consecutive years. At the recently completed seasons banquet, Sam also earned the “lifter of the year” award as voted by his teammates for the teammate who was the most dedicated in the weight room .

In Sam’s five years on the UNI team, the Panthers qualified for FCS playoffs in 2014, 2015, and 2017. This group of Panther seniors also won 31 total games, 14 of which were against top 10 ranked opponents, and were part of the Panther team that ended North Dakota State’s all time NCAA Record 33 game winning streak. This of group of athletes also competed in 3 undefeated November campaigns with an overall November record of thirteen wins against one loss and won 18 games in the UNI Dome.

Sam Kuhter

Academically Kuhter graduated this past December with a double major in Accounting and Management and Finance with a minor in Geography. Asked what he would remember about Sam Kuhter, Head Football coach Mark Farley said that “Sam embodies what UNI is all about. He was a ‘Panther at heart’ and when given the chance, he worked hard to make himself a better athlete and an even better young man.”

University of Northern Iowa senior football players.