To even a seasoned football kicker, a 59-yard field goal is a daunting feat. Add in that it’s at your school’s high-energy homecoming game in front of 51,000 fans and it’s your first collegiate field goal attempt. But no problem, says Illinois kick-off specialist and agricultural communications sophomore Ethan Moczulski, it’s easy: just black out.

Spokane, Washington, native Moczulski, in his first season as an Illini, is now in record books for that kick. He completed it during the Illinois Homecoming game against Central Michigan on Sept. 14, breaking a school record held by Dan Beaver that had stood for almost 50 years.

“I kind of blacked out during the whole thing,” Moczulski says. “I don’t remember actually kicking the ball, just watching it soar through the goalposts. I didn’t even realize until one of my teammates told me during the second half that my kick had broken a school record.” He does remember afterward though, receiving an email from previous record holder Dan Beaver who congratulated him on his record-breaking kick.

Moczulski journey to the Illini record books has been circuitous. He didn’t start as a football player, instead electing to focus on soccer when he started high school. He turned out to be a good soccer kicker and caught the eye of the freshman football coach who suggested he give football a try. Moczulski agreed and his football career began, taking him to Texas A&M University on his way to the Illini, where he’s called in for exceptionally deep field goals (the main placekicker, David Olanos, handles shorter field goals).

So, why did a Division I athlete choose to study agricultural communications? Moczulski had several friends growing up who lived on farms and had always been curious about where his food came from. He also realized how valuable communication skills can be, no matter what career he decides to pursue.

“My dream is to make it to the NFL, so I know the communication skills that I learn here are going to be helpful when interviewing with different teams and playing at the professional level,” Moczulski says.

Watch for No. 27 when the Illini take to the field in their final home game of the season against Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 16.