Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz watches a replay during a game against the Michigan State Spartans Nov. 22, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa Lands Star Kicker From Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI
By Nishant Gupta | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 7:00 AM ET

The Iowa Hawkeyes landed their second transfer portal commitment of the 2026 class on Jan. 4. Kirk Ferentz and Co. made a critical special teams addition during a portal window where the program is addressing wholesale roster turnover.

Eli Ozick, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound FCS All-American kicker from North Dakota State, has committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes. The player announced the news via X.

“Excited for what’s next! Thank you Coach Ferentz, @coachbsherm, and Iowa staff for this opportunity!” Ozick wrote.

Excited for what’s next!

Thank you Coach Ferentz, @coachbsherm, and Iowa staff for this opportunity! pic.twitter.com/2GK41TQ0q6
— Eli Ozick (@eli_ozick) January 5, 2026

The sophomore placekicker announced his commitment following a campus visit to Iowa City, arriving in Iowa City with two years of eligibility remaining. The North Dakota State transfer was named a finalist for the Fred Mitchell Award, college football's most prestigious kicker award covering all levels.

Eli Ozick’s College Career

Ozick spent the 2025 season as North Dakota State's primary placekicker. He made 16 of 18 field goal attempts for an 88.9 percent conversion rate, the highest in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. He also made 58 of 59 extra points (98.3% accuracy) while handling kickoff duties, averaging 63.0 yards with 60 touchbacks on 101 kickoff attempts.

He connected on all four attempts from 40-plus yards. His season-high 54-yard field goal against Indiana State on Oct. 18 ranks among North Dakota State's longest in program history. His two misses occurred from 51 and 57 yards, both beyond the effective range for most FCS kickers.

In 2024, Ozick's redshirt freshman season, he made 3 of 5 field goal attempts while serving as North Dakota State's exclusive kickoff specialist. That season, he averaged 62.4 yards on 111 kickoff attempts with 70 touchbacks. Despite limited field goal opportunities due to the Bison's high-powered offensive attack, his 54-yard conversion against East Tennessee State was the second-longest field goal in school history at the time.

His 2023 redshirt season saw Ozick participate in four regular-season games and all four FCS playoff contests as North Dakota State reached the FCS semifinals. He averaged 62.2 yards on 55 kickoff attempts with 20 touchbacks while earning Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll recognition. He went 19-of-23 on field goals and 66-of-67 on extra points in his career with the Bison.

At Liberty High School in Liberty, Missouri, Ozick made 9 of 11 field goal attempts and went a perfect 33-for-33 on extra points, earning first-team all-conference kicker honors and second-team all-conference punter honors.

This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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