Nicholas Setta Class: Senior Hometown: Lockport, IL High School: Lockport Township Height / Weight: 5-11 / 184 Position: Kicker/Punter Birthdate: 05/06/1981

Returns for his fourth season as Notre Dame’s placekicker … will also assume punting duties in ’03 and continue to kick off … a three-year monogram winner for the Irish … is a great kicker with a tremendous leg … has a chance to break many Notre Dame records this season including the all-time career field-goal attempts list (Setta 56, John Carney has 69 set from 1984-86), field goals made (37, record is 51 by Carney) and fourth on the all-time points by kicking list (210, Craig Hentrich is the record holder with 294) … is a two-time Lou Groza Award nominee … was a preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith’s in ’02 … named the fifth-best kicker in the nation by Lindy’s and 13th best by The Sporting News on preseason basis in ’02 … has led Irish in scoring the past three seasons … had almost a perfect season in ’01, converting 15 of 17 FGs and 23 of 23 PATs … has made 87 straight PATs, the second longest streak in Irish history … also holds Notre Dame record by making a field goal in 16 consecutive games … unflappable and handles pressure extremely well … superb all-around athlete who also competes on the Notre Dame track team running middle distances … qualified for the 2002 BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championships … is also a team leader serving as captain twice in ’02.

AS A SENIOR: Notre Dame’s placekicker in 2002 … also handled kickoff duties for Irish … preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith’s … named to Lou Groza preseason watch list by Street & Smith’s … named the fifth-best kicker in the nation by Lindy’s and 13th best by The Sporting News in preseason listing… served as a game captain vs. Purdue and Air Force … made a career-high five field goals vs. Maryland, including a career-long 51-yarder … named USATODAY.com National Player of the Week for his efforts vs. Maryland … also earned MVP honors for the Kickoff Classic after setting game records for field goals and field-goal attempts … also set Kickoff Classic record with 51-yarder in first quarter … his 51-yard field goal tied him for the second longest field goal in Irish history … became first kicker in Notre Dame history to kick one field goal in each quarter vs. Maryland … barely missed a 56-yard field goal, which would have been a Notre Dame record … had kicked a field goal in 16 consecutive games, a Notre Dame record, before failing to do so vs. Michigan State … made a 19-yard field goal vs. Purdue … made a 46-yard field goal vs. Michigan … has made 87 consecutive PATs which ranks as the second-longest streak in school history, passing Bob Thomas’ streak of 62 vs. Michigan State … made both of his field goal attempts vs. Florida State, a 39-yarder and a 35-yarder … made both of his field goal attempts vs. USC, a 34-yarder and a 32-yarder.

AS A JUNIOR: Returned as Notre Dame’s placekicker in 2001 and had a record-setting season … booted a 29-yard field goal vs. Nebraska … made 43-yard field goal vs. Michigan State … matched his career long with a 47-yard field goal vs. Texas A&M … added 40-yarder vs. Pittsburgh … also handled kickoff duties for Irish … has made 55 consecutive PATs which ranks as the fourth-longest streak in school history … recorded two field goals vs. West Virginia … after kicking a field goal vs. Tennessee, he had kicked a field goal in 13 consecutive regular-season games (and 14 total games), the longest streak in Notre Dame history (passing John Carney’s streak of 11 straight games in 1986) … missed his first field goal of the season on Notre Dame’s first offensive possession vs. Boston College ending his streak of 11 straight field goals … recorded one field goal, a 42-yarder, vs. Boston College … recorded one field goal, a 41-yarder, vs. Tennessee … recorded two field goals, a 41-yarder and a 32-yarder, vs. Navy … recorded two field goals vs. Stanford … recorded a 47-yard field goal vs. Purdue … made all eight field goal attempts of 40 yards or longer … his .882 field goal conversion percentage in ’01 was the second-best in Notre Dame history.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Notre Dame’s placekicker in 2000 … won a hard-fought battle against incumbent placekicker David Miller in the preseason … led Notre Dame in scoring (74), marking just the second time in the past 10 seasons and the first time since 1993 (Kevin Pendergast) that a kicker was the leading Irish scorer … helped Irish rank 10th nationally in net punting at 38.44 … made final 32 PATs of regular season … ranked in Irish records with 44 PATs (tied for fourth) and 68 points by kicking (tied for ninth) … played in first career game in opener vs. Texas A&M, hitting three extra points and a 32-yard field goal with 7:17 remaining in the game … connected on 29-yard field goal in overtime to give Irish their only lead of the game, 24-21 against Nebraska … hit game-winning 38-yard field goal as time expired in 23-21 Irish victory over Purdue … was three-for-four (also hit from 32 and career-high 47 yards) overall on field goals vs. Boilermakers … named NBC Sports/Chevrolet Notre Dame MVP for his efforts against Purdue … named USAToday.com player of the week and Collegefootballnews.com player of the week for effort vs. Purdue ... took pitch from holder Adam Tibble five yards for touchdown on fake field goal late in third quarter to give Irish 28-10 lead over Boston College … is the only Notre Dame kicker in the last 20 years to score a touchdown … also punted vs. Boston College for first time in his career, averaging 40.0 yards on four boots, filling in for injured Joey Hildbold … took snap and threw 25-yard touchdown pass to Tom Lopienski on fake field goal in first quarter vs. Rutgers, giving Irish 14-3 lead … was five for five on field goal attempts of 37 yards or fewer … kicked 29-yard field goal on final play of first half vs. Oregon State in 2001 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

AS A FRESHMAN: Did not see game action as rookie Irish kicker and punter in ’99 … competed with Irish indoor track team in two meets in 2000, working in high jump and long jump.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Parade prep All-American … USA Today first-team All-America punter … rated number-one kicker in the country coming out of high school … listed by Dallas Morning News as one of top 100 national prospects (and one of only two kickers on list) … first-team all-state punter on Chicago Tribune team in both ’97 and ’98 … rated 13th on Detroit Free-Press Best of the Midwest team … punted 39 times for 47.8-yard average as senior in ’98, including boots of 68, 61 and 60 yards for Lockport Township High School in Lockport, Ill. … won four letters in football … hit 11 of 22 field goals in ’98 (including two from 49 yards out) and 29 of 33 PATs … threw for two touchdowns in ’98 on fake field goal situations … hit field goals from 45 and 47 yards in ’98 season opener … put 90 percent of his kickoffs into end zone … hit 11 of 15 field goals as junior … hit the crossbar on 72-yard field goal attempt vs. Wheaton Warrenville South in ’97 Class 6A playoff opener … kicked Illinois state record 59-yard field goal as sophomore in ’96 vs. Bloom … averaged 46.7 yards per punt as junior, with 27 of 64 kickoffs going for touchbacks … four-time team captain in football … three-time all-conference pick and three-time team MVP … finished with 38 career field goals … selected for Illinois state all-star game … won four letters in both cross country and track and field … finished sixth in Illinois state track and field meet in high jump as junior and also ranked as top hurdler … four-time team captain and MVP in both cross country and track … had bests of 1:53.4 in 800 meters, 3:59 in 1,500 meters, and 6-10 in high jump … finished 11th in Illinois state cross country meet in ’98, fifth in ’97 and helped Lockport to Illinois state cross country crowns in ’96 and ’97 … brother Piero played football at College of Saint Francis and soccer at Illinois Benedictine … full name is Nicholas Setta … younger of two children … born May 6, 1981 … enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, majoring in finance … recorded a 3.0 grade-point average in the fall of 2002.

Setta Game by Game
2002

2001

2000