Connor Poole kick-starts Lehigh’s undefeated streak

Just last year, Connor Poole joined the Lehigh football team as a five-star recruit. He averaged 40.6 yards per punt. 

Now, the sophomore punter for the Lehigh football team has earned the Patriot League’s special teams player of the week after averaging 52.4 yards per punt, totaling five punts and 688 yards so far this season. 

Lehigh football’s special teams coach Mike Kashurba said he believes Poole is on his way to being in the top 10 punters in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. 

“He has got incredible natural talent,” Kashurba said. “He is working really hard to stay focused and being the best at doing his job out on the field.”

But Poole hasn’t always been on the football field. He found his way to the sport during his sophomore year of high school after years of being a soccer and track and field athlete.

“I was urged by my dad and a few coaches to try out for the football team in high school, and it really took off from there,” Poole said.

While balancing long training sessions, Poole is still dedicating time to his studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, where he is still deciding his major. Kashurba said Poole’s very driven and manages his time well, maintaining a high GPA. 

“He takes hard courses, he’s incredibly polite and personable, and he’s really great with the team around him,” Kashurba said.

In his rookie season, Poole earned Patriot League recognition for a 56 yard punt in standout games against Holy Cross and Princeton University. 

Kashurba said Poole thrives under pressure.

“Last year’s game against Holy Cross put us on track to win the league,” Kashurba said. “He knew this was a big game, and in the biggest moments like that he is at his best.” 

The Mountain Hawks are currently 4-0 as they clinched a 41-24 win against Bucknell University on Sept. 20. The last time the team had a winning streak was in 2013, when they kicked off the season 5-0.

Poole achieved his highest average punt distance so far this season with 52.4 yards at Duquesne University on Sept. 13. 

For games with high stakes, Poole said he doesn’t follow pregame rituals, but he does use a visualization tactic starting days before the game. 

“I’ll go through every situation I think I could be in,” he said. “What it’s going to look like, what it’s going to feel like and what I need to do to get the best result.” 

Senior kicker Nick Garrido works alongside Poole at practice every day.

He said Poole has an outgoing personality and is an extremely hard worker on the field.

“He is a great leader for the unit,” Garrido said. “He gives his all in every single rep. He is the first one to hold himself accountable if he makes a mistake.”

Garrido said while Poole is a hard worker, what stands out most about him is his love for the game, even in a role where opportunities can be limited.

“I know it’s hard for people to see that, because we, as kickers, don’t have as many reps as all the other guys on the field,” Garrido said. “You can’t ever show what you got. With the limited amount of reps that he has, I would just say you can tell how much he loves the game with the passion after every kick.” 

Poole said he’s self-motivated and always wants to put his best foot forward in order to be there for his teammates during challenging games.

“I just want to be the best version of myself,” Poole said. “I’m really hoping we can get out there as a team and win another Patriot League title.”

The Mountain Hawks are back in action on Saturday at home against the University of Pennsylvania for family weekend.