For the first time in over three seasons, Arizona will be in unfamiliar territory. With Tyler Loop heading to the NFL, who will be the Wildcats’ kicker? As Craig Naivar and Co. look to answer that question, Arizona has bolstered its kicker room, adding Illinois State transfer Ian Wagner on Friday.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound kicker is originally from Sierra Vista, Arizona, but went to high school at O’Fallon in Illinois. During three seasons at Illinois State, Wagner appeared in 32 games, connecting on 25 of 36 field goal attempts, and 89 of 102 extra point attempts. Last season, as the Redbirds’ primary kicker, Wagner connected on 11 of 15 field goals and 44 of 48 extra point attempts.
He also assumed punting responsibilities during the 2023 season, where he punted 37 times for 1,405 yards. He had three punts over 50+ yards, including a long of 71 yards.
With the addition of Ian Wagner, Arizona now has three kickers on the roster heading into the 2025 season, including sophomore kicker Michael Salgado-Medina and incoming freshman Tyler Prasuhn.
Looking at the rest of the special teams unit, the Wildcats still need to add a long snapper via the transfer portal, with Trey Naughton announcing he is medically retiring due to a back injury.