Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543434
5 0 M A R C H 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 6 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P enn State has some big shoes to fill in the kicking game now that Gabriel Nwosu has exhausted his eligibility. Nwosu was the Nittany Lions' primary kickoff specialist the past three seasons, and he also doubled as the team's punter last fall. In 2026, it will likely take two players to replace him. Fortunately for the Lions, new head coach Matt Campbell and returning special teams coordinator Justin Lustig landed a pair of strong contenders during the January transfer window. Here's a look at PSU's newest specialists. Cristiano Rosa | K R-Sr. | 5-11 | 206 James Madison | Shelton, Conn. On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: N/R Rivals Industry Ranking (2022): N/R Rosa is a kickoff specialist who spent the past two seasons at James Madison. He played in every game for the Dukes in 2024, finishing with 52 touchbacks on 69 attempts. Last season, he built on that debut performance by recording 62 touchbacks on 90 kickoffs, helping JMU win the Sun Belt Conference title and advance to the College Football Playoff. Nine of his touchbacks came in a single game against Old Dominion in October. Prior to his tenure at James Madison, Rosa spent two sea- sons at Central Connecticut. He played in one game as a true freshman, hitting 1 of 3 field goal attempts in a 28-3 loss to Connecticut. Rosa did not see action during the 2023 season. Two weeks after James Madison ended its 2025 season with a 51-34 loss to Oregon in the first round of the playoff, Rosa en- tered the transfer portal. By signing with Penn State, he has put himself in position to reprise his role as a kickoff specialist. The Lions return starting placekicker Ryan Barker, but he has kicked off only five times in his career. Redshirt freshman Matthew Parker is also back but has kicked off just once. Nathan Tiyce | P So. | 6-5 | 230 Mississippi State | Gerringong, Australia On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHH, No. 17 P Rivals Industry Ranking (2025): N/R Tiyce comes to Penn State in hope of filling a vacancy at punter with the graduation of Nwosu and Riley Thompson. Nwosu handled the position last year in addition to his kickoff duties, while Thompson was the Lions' starting punter in 2024. Like Thompson, Tiyce is Australian. A native of Gerringong, just south of Sydney, he was a 25-year-old freshman at Mis- sissippi State last season. Before coming to the United States, he spent two years at Tocal College and five years working on a farm in his homeland. He played rugby for his local club, the Gerringong Lions, before suffering an injury. Tiyce then joined the ProKick punting academy for a trial after discover- ing American football and committed to Mississippi State in December 2024. Tiyce lost the battle for the Bulldogs' starting job but was used in situational roles, mostly as a pooch punter. He punted 12 times for a 39-yard average with a long of 54. Two of his punts went over 50 yards, and seven ended up inside the 20-yard line. He had a touchback, and 5 punts were fair caught. Despite his age, Tiyce is a sophomore with three years of eli- gibility remaining. He and incoming freshman Lucas Tenbrock will compete for Penn State's starting job this fall. ■ NEW SPECIALISTS MAKE A TIMELY ARRIVAL NAT E BAU E R A N D S E A N F I T Z | B L U E W H I T E I L L U S T R AT E D In two seasons at James Madison, Cristiano Rosa produced 114 touchbacks on 159 kick- offs. COURTESY JAMES MADISON ATHLETICS