Souza Named CIAA Special Teams Player of the Week

October 02, 2019

Virginia Union University's Jefferson Souza was named the Food Lion CIAA Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in VUU's 16-15 win over Winston-Salem State University, it was announced on Monday, September 30.

Souza, a junior kicker from Deerfield Park, Fla., who is majoring in Entrepreneurial Management with a 3.2 grade point average, hit three field goals from 25 yards, including the game-winner with 21 seconds remaining to give the Panthers a 16-15 win over Winston-Salem State. The junior kicker also hit an extra point, scoring 10 of his team's 16 points, and had three punts for 105 yards (35 yards per punt) to earn his second weekly honor this season.

The Virginia Union University junior grew up playing soccer in his native Rondonia, Brazil. He didn’t pick up American football until his family moved to Deerfield Beach, Fla., in Broward County.

“Jefferson is one of the best kickers in the country," said VUU Head Football Coach Dr. Alvin Parker.  "He takes the time to be special at his craft. He continues to show everyone how valuable of an asset he is to the success of our team. The game winner this past Saturday was a season-defining play.”

Souza, who speaks fluent Portuguese, the official language of Brazil, has polished his kicking craft for years under the direction of Brandon Kornblue, a former kicker at the University of Michigan who runs a popular kicking camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Virginia Union travels to Salisbury, N.C., to face Livingstone College at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5.