UMaine football team adds veteran kicker
Jul. 27—Vladimir Rivas, a graduate transfer placekicker, has joined the University of Maine football program and will be eligible for the 2021 season.
Rivas transferred to UMaine after kicking for the last three seasons at Florida Atlantic University, a Football Bowl Subdivision program based in Boca Raton, Florida.
After redshirting during the 2017 season, Rivas went on to make 35 of 52 field-goal attempts and 114 of 121 extra-point tries for the Owls while averaging 56.3 yards on 40 kickoffs at FAU.
His career-long field goal is 48 yards.
Rivas made eight of 10 field-goal attempts overall and made four of six from between 40 and 49 yards last season for FAU, which finished 5-4 overall and 4-2 in Conference USA.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound product of Doral, Florida, made 17 of 25 field-goal tries along with 55 extra points — both personal career bests — in 2019 to help Florida Atlantic win the Conference USA championship and compile an 11-3 record.
He made 10 field goals as a redshirt freshman in 2018.
Rivas has two years of eligibility remaining.
UMaine head coach Nick Charlton also announced the addition to the roster of freshman defensive back Tyrell Edwards of Irvington, New Jersey.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Edwards spent the 2020 season at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas, where he appeared in three games with one tackle and one interception.
