Kenny the Kicker Stops By

Ken Navitsky with NCC championship ring

Former Minnesota State (he would say Mankato State) football placekicker Kenny Navitsky stopped by the office today, just to say hello.

Kenny, a Sarasota, Fla., native who played here from 1991-94 and was a part of a MSU team that captured a North Central Conference title in1993, still owns school records for season and career PATs made, career field goals attempted and career points.

MavBlog took the opportunity to ask "The Kicker" a few questions.

Tell us a little about your favorite memories from playing football with the Mavericks.
"Well, you know the team from that time, the coaches, the campus.  It seemed like we were all one, culminating with that great team in '93 with the conference championship, beating Missouri Southern in a first round game and then playing the Fighting Sioux up in Grand Forks in the NCAA quarterfinals.   We had a great team, obviously, and they (UND) did the one thing we thought no team could do against us.  They beat us twice.  We were 10-3 that year and they got us once during the regular season, we lost at home to SDSU in a shootout and then we lost to UND in the playoffs."

How does the school look now to you after all these years?
"It's a whole different level now.  It's almost like a health spa.  Everything's so open and beautiful.  The mall across the street looks a lot different.  The student union is beautiful and has all the amenities. The new buildings, the walkways.  The name of the school has changed since we were all here.  We often wonder what it would be like if we had this when were were here.  My gosh, I think about the old weight room we had under your office in the hallway Otto Arena compared with what we have here now.  Everything's so nice, we're all so happy these changes have been made and it makes me proud to be an alum."

What are you up to these days?
"I rep for Forest Healthcare.  I also travel the country on weekends as a professional MC in the monster truck industry.  I volunteer coach for the RCTC football program (they play in the North Star Bowl this weekend).   I'm on the zoning and planning commission in Rochester and I'm heavily involved in the running of Team Navitsky which consists of my wife, Kelly (who was a MSU cheerleader), my son Parker (8) and daughter Peyton (10). Life is good."

It's great to be a Maverick.