Alexis Serna
Born: | Upland, California, U.S. | February 8, 1985
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Career information | |
Position(s) | K |
Uniform number | 18 |
Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
College | Oregon State (2004–2007) |
High school | A. B. Miller (Fontana, California) |
NFL draft | 2008 / Undrafted |
Career history | |
As player | |
2008–2010 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Awards |
|
Career stats | |
Field goals made | 82 |
Field goals attempted | 114 |
Field goal percentage | 71.9% |
Points scored | 361 |
Alexis Serna (born February 8, 1985) is an American former football placekicker who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2008 to 2010 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football for the Oregon State Beavers, where he won the Lou Groza Award in 2005.
High school
He graduated from A. B. Miller High School in Fontana, California.[1]
College career
2004 season
Serna leads what has been described as a storybook
After the heartbreaking loss and the surge in press coverage, Serna received hundreds of letters of support from people across the country. One of these letters came from 12-year-old Austan Pierce, a boy receiving cancer treatment from
2005 season
In the 2005 season he put up even more impressive numbers on his way to winning the Lou Groza Award and several All-American titles, including a place on the AFCA Coaches' All-America First Team. Austan's cancer going into remission, Serna met Austan for the first time after a victory over Washington State in the 2005 season. After the meeting he is quoted as saying "For a boy who has already endured more pain and hurt at age 12 than most of us will ever experience in our own lifetime, Austan is courageous as they come." Alexis went on to win the Lou Groza award in 2005.
2006 season
He returned to play in the 2006–07 season for the Beavers. At the October 28, 2006, meeting with the then-#3-ranked
2007 season
Serna returned for his senior season as the starting placekicker. Due to 2006 punter Kyle Loomis' last-minute departure from the program, Serna was also expected to be the starting punter for the season.[5]
Serna was named to
Professional career
Serna was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 3, 2008, to compete with embattled 17-year veteran Troy Westwood in training camp. After Westwood was released in training camp, Serna became the lone kicker/punter on the roster. After starting his pro career 7 for 7 for field goals, he followed by going 10 for 20 and making 17 of the remaining 24 of the season to finish 34 of 51. He became heavily criticized by the media, by then head coach Doug Berry and public at large during his mid-season struggles.
Starting the 2009 campaign, punter Mike Renaud was brought in to allow Serna to concentrate on place kicking. As of week 7, he has been 14 for 17, and 24 for 28 stretching back to the 2008 season, proving to be one of the most consistent kickers in the CFL.
On August 10, 2010, Serna was released by the Blue Bombers. He has since retired from professional football. Serna now works for the Oregon State University's Beaver football team, as the director of the Beyond Football program.
Legacy
Serna holds several Oregon State records, including kicking the most field goals in a single game (6 vs. Washington in an 18–10 victory in 2005), which is also tied for the
Footnotes
- NFL.com. Archived from the originalon July 12, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
- ^ Ted Miller, Men in Black just might be back in '06, ESPN.com, August 18, 2006, Accessed August 18, 2006
- ^ Jake Curtis, Cancer patient buoys OSU kicker, SFGate.com, October 14, 2005, Accessed August 28, 2021
- ^ John Walters, Kick-back job: Lost amid talk of end-of-year superlatives, Serna's story is truly special, SportsIllustrated.com, December 27, 2004 , Accessed April 21, 2006
- ^ Kyle Loomis Leaves Program Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, August 3, 2007, Accessed August 17, 2007