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Iowa State University Athletics
Tony Yelk Awarded Sixth Year of Eligibility by NCAA
02.03.2005 | Football
AMES, Iowa - Iowa State punter and placekicker Tony Yelk has been granted a rare sixth-year of eligibility by the NCAA. The Arlington, Wis. native missed the 2004 season because of a hip-flexor injury. He is the first Cyclone football player to be granted a sixth-year since linebacker Randy Richards in 1987.
"We are happy that this worked out for Tony," ISU head coach Dan McCarney said. "It is extremely rare but his injury now will not rob him of a final year as a Cyclone. Obviously, this adds to the competition at placekicker and at punter. We are grateful to the NCAA."
Yelk ended up redshirting the 2000 Iowa State season, his first collegiate campaign. In 2001 redshirt freshman season, he averaged 43.8 yards on 45 punts, ranking third in the Big 12 and 16th nationally. That mark ranks him second on the all-time ISU single-season punting list behind Marc Harris (45.7/1996). Yelk, Iowa State's starting punter from 2001-03, has a 42.3-yard career punting average, ranking second all-time behind Harris (43.1/1993-96).
As a placekicker, Yelk has hit on 11-of-25 career field-goal attempts with a long of 51 yards.
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