The Nittany Lions have lost half of their talented and experienced special teams contributors but are determined to not miss a beat in remaining among the nation[apos]s top teams in the kicking game. Jeremy Boone returns as one of the nation[apos]s top punters and senior Andrew Pitz returns looking to continue delivering perfect snaps to Boone and the Nittany Lions[apos] new placekicker. Pitz nailed down the long snapper assignment in preseason and effectively served as the snapper for all the placements last season. He brings good skills, strength and effort to the field. Kick snappers aren[apos]t among the positions voted on for all-conference or All-America teams, but Pitz has earned recognition through his efforts as the snapper and one of the squad[apos]s premier students. He graduated in May with a team-best 3.93 grade-point average, compiling a perfect 4.00 GPA during the spring semester as a journalism student. Pitz was selected a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American®, one of four Nittany Lions so honored in 2008. He and Josh Hull will have an opportunity to become just the seventh and eighth Nittany Lions to earn first-team Academic All-America® twice. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pitz specialized in long snapping at Bettendorf HS, helping his team capture the 2004 Iowa Class AAAA state championship.
2008 Senior Season
Pitz was the lone newcomer among the primary special teams contributors and he successfully helped maintain the unit[apos]s cohesiveness. He nailed down the long snapper assignment in preseason and effectively served as the snapper for all the placements last season. Pitz delivered 88 perfect snaps for Kevin Kelly or Collin Wagner and also was the long snapper on punts late in the season. His hustle downfield after every punt snap was evident and resulted in his saving of a kick before it went into the end zone against Indiana, with Boone downing the ball at the Hoosiers[apos] two-yard line early in the game. Pitz was selected a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American® and received Academic All-Big Ten honors.
2007 Junior Season
Pitz worked hard, but did not see any action, as Chris Mauriello and Patrick Weber handled all the snapping duties.
2005 Freshman Season
Redshirt season.
High School
Pitz played two years of football and baseball at Bettendorf HS. He was a long snapper for Coach Randy Scott and helped his team to an undefeated 2004 season, capturing the Iowa Class AAAA state championship with a 13-0 record. He also helped Bettendorf win the MAC Conference title in 2003 and [apos]04. He was selected to the MAC Varsity Football All-Academic team. On the diamond, Pitz was named second-team MAC All-Conference, second-team Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association all-district pitcher and was selected to play in the 2005 Iowa-Illinois All-Star Classic. He also made the MAC Varsity Baseball All-Academic team.
Personal
Full name is Andrew Evan Pitz. He is the son of Nick and Barbara Pitz and has an older sister, Megan. His mother graduated from Penn State with a degree in English and both parents are in education. His grandfather, Leo Waters, was a Golden Gloves boxer in the 1930s. Pitz enjoys working out and playing video games. He is one of the squad[apos]s top students, owning a 3.93 grade-point average in journalism when he graduated in May. Pitz is working on a second degree, in telecommunications. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he has made the Dean[apos]s List all eight semesters at Penn State. Born April 25, 1987 in Moline, Ill.