Berks Catholic grad lands Division I scholarship after big season in PSAC
2026 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Andrew Kurtas never played in a football game before his senior season at Berks Catholic.
Less than four years later he has earned a Division I scholarship to kick for the University of West Georgia, an ambitious program just two years removed from the Division II level.
After a banner sophomore season at Clarion that saw him convert 11-of-12 field goal attempts and earn national recognition Kurtas entered the NCAA Transfer Portal and was deluged with offers.
“I’ve wanted to always play Division I, (ever) since I was in high school,” Kurtas said. “It’s a lot of kids’ dream. (When I entered the portal) I was betting on myself and praying that my dream would come true, and it just did.”
Kurtas initially was offered by other top PSAC programs, such as Kutztown, Slippery Rock, and IUP. When the Division I portal opened last week his phone really began to vibrate.
“As soon as the portal opened up I had 15-20 Division I schools calling me,” he said. “It was just absolutely crazy this last week.”
Kurtas made an official visit to the Carrollton, Ga., campus on Wednesday and decided on the spot that he wanted to play for the Wolves — even with more schools contacting him each day. He had more than a dozen scholarships offers to choose from, from schools such as Holy Cross, Albany, Kent State, Marist, and Stetson.
“Bigger school, bigger opportunity, higher division,” Kurtas said of his reasons for choosing West Georgia. “They’re a newer Division I program, but they’re a winning team. They went 8-3 last year and the head coach (Steve Engelhart) knows how to win. I’m just excited to get started.”
West Georgia plays in the United Athletic Conference, competing against teams such as Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, North Alabama, and Southern Utah. The Wolves won a Division III national championship in 1982 and were Division II semifinalists in 2014 and 2015. They moved to Division I for the 2024 season.
The 6-1, 190-pound Kurtas finished fifth in the nation (among Division II kickers) this season in field goal accuracy. He was one of just two kickers in the PSAC to make 10 or more field goals. He had a game-winner against Gannon, hitting a 33-yarder with 1:29 left in a 48-46 win.
He kicked three field goals in a 23-17 victory over Seton Hill, converting from 37, 20, and 38 yards, the last with 2:38 remaining to extend the Golden Eagles’ lead to 23-10.
Kurtas’ longest field goal of the season was 44 yards, in a 42-23 loss at Slippery Rock. (He had a 48-yarder nullified by penalty.)
He was 40-of-42 on extra point attempts and put 40 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone.
Kurtas earned All-PSAC Western Division first team and All-Super Region 1 honors for his stellar season. He was recently named a Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American.
If someone was giving out a Comeback Player of the Year award he would be in contention for that, too.
His 2024 season lasted just one game. He suffered a partially torn quad during the season-opener against Millersville and didn’t kick again the rest of the season. He said the injury stemmed from over-use during preseason camp; he eventually received a medical redshirt and has two years of athletic eligibility remaining.
Kurtas had a big freshman season at Clarion, nailing 6-of-10 field goals and 26-of-27 PATs but had to win his job back in 2025. The Clarion staff brought in an all-conference transfer but Kurtas beat him out, along with two other contenders, to win the kicking job.
He has been told he will be the only scholarship kicker at West Georgia; the Wolves will also have one punter on scholarship, as well as some walk-ons.
Kurtas grew up playing soccer but discovered football before his senior season at Berks Catholic and was an immediate success. The highlight of his first season came when he drilled a 44-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give the Saints the lead against Wyomissing, which was ranked No. 1 in the state at the time.
Kurtas finished second in the Berks Specialist of the Year competition after sharing the Berks lead with six field goals. He was selected to participate in the East/West Small School game after his senior year.
