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Syracuse Orange kicker Andre Szmyt to return for final year of eligibility

Syracuse place-kicker Andre Szmyt is returning in 2022 for his final year of eligibility.

Szmyt made the announcement Saturday in a post on Twitter.

"It's too hard to walk away with a year of eligibility left and that feeling like there's unfinished business with this group. I'm looking to walk off like the year I walked on," Szmyt wrote.

Szmyt had a stellar first season in 2018, leading the NCAA in field goals (30 of 34) and scoring the third-most points ever by a kicker (151). He won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker and earned unanimous All-America honors.

In four seasons, Szymt has converted 65 of 79 field goals and his 1.6 field goals per game is the top mark in school history.

Szmyt originally intended to forgo the extra season granted by the NCAA. His decision comes just two days after Syracuse hired Bob Ligashesky as special teams coordinator.

The Orange finished 5-7 and 2-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2021 and underperformed on special teams without a coordinator. Coach Dino Babers divided duties among staff members after Justin Lustig left for Vanderbilt last January.