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Home > Bison Media Zone > From Bison to Bison; NDSU adds transfer punter that hails from England
Podcast: Bison Media Zone
Episode:

From Bison to Bison; NDSU adds transfer punter that hails from England
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2024-05-17 19:43:34
Description: FARGO — North Dakota State football coach Tim Polasek knows his special teams, having coached in Fargo during his previous stints with the Bison.

He found an addition to his special teams unit for this fall from an unusal spot. England.



Howard University punter Aaron Bickerton announced Friday that he will transfer to NDSU this fall. Bickerton is 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds and will have two years of eligibility remaining. Howard also shares the nickname of Bison.



https://x.com/AaronBickerton/status/1791529226585120870

Bickerton hails from Stoke-on-Trent, England. Bickerton was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) punter of the year in 2023, averaging over 41 yards per punt last season for the Bison, who reached the Celebration Bowl last year, falling to Florida A&M 30-26.


He was all named to the second team as a kicker.



Howard won the MEAC championship in 2023 with a 4-1 league record, including a 50-20 win over North Carolina Central. The Eagles received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs, while Howard went to the Celebration Bowl.



Bickerton also doubled as a long-distance kicker for the Bison, connecting on 9 of 9 field goals last season, making a 40-yard kick as his longest of the year. He made all 36 extra points he attempted for Howard in 2022.



https://x.com/AaronBickerton/status/1789715296409837951

The NDSU special teams unit is an experienced group heading into 2024. Incumbent punter Kaiden Steindorf has been the starter at that spot for the past three seasons, he averaged 43 yards per punt last season, with 12 pinned inside the 20-yard line and six punts travel over 50 yards.



Steindorf will be a senior this upcoming season, but has his COVID year to use as well, so has the potential for two more seasons.



Bickerton worked with Aaron Perez of the Punt Factory, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Perez punted at UCLA for four years from 2004-08, named first-team All-Pac 10. He opened the Punt Factory in 2017.



"I've been coaching punters for 15 years and put four guys in the NFL. Hunter has all the potential in the world to be one of them." Perez said.



"He's a big guy and thick. He punted, kicked and kicked off at Howard. Punting I believe is his strength. He's got that mindset where he is very blue-collar.



Perez worked on with Bickerton on his technique and directions.



"I was evaulating him, and also could you help market me and it obviously worked with North Dakota State. I think the kid is a monster and he's going to crush it up in Fargo."



Bickerton is the third transfer to come to NDSU since Polasek arrived as head coach in December. Offensive lineman Trent Fraley transferred in Janaury, along with backup quarterback Jacob Kilzer from the Air Force Prep Academy.

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