10/20/2026 11:00:00 AM | Football
MARTIN, Tenn. – A pair of University of Tennessee at Martin football standouts were honored for their impressive starts to the 2026 season by being named to the Phil Steele FCS Mid-Season All-American teams.
Garnering a spot on the first team was punter Max Zuluaga while long snapper Hayden King received a second team recognition.
The Skyhawk pair joined a decorated list by Phil Steele which included 48 players on offense, 48 players on defense and 24 specialists spread across four teams. UT Martin led all Ohio Valley Conference programs with two selections while Tre Yanez (Gardner-Webb) and Quay Kindell (Charleston Southern) also garnered mid-season honors.
Joining the Skyhawks after earning NJCAA All-American honors last season at Trinity Valley, Zuluaga has continued to impress now at the Division I level where he currently leads the country with 46.7 yards per punt. The Madison, Miss. native has consistently flipped the field for the Skyhawks with nine punts of 50 yards or more, including a 75-yard punt against Gardner-Webb and a 74-yard punt against Memphis – both of which rank in the top-10 of longest FCS punts this season. For the season, he has placed 11 punts inside the 20-yard line while recording just three touchbacks.
A consensus preseason All-American pick, King has continued his dominance as the trigger man of the kicking game. Hailing from Dickson, Tenn., King has led an effective special teams unit which currently leads the country in punting average while converting 22-of-22 point after attempts and three field goals. He has also tallied four tackles on the year.
UT Martin returns to action this weekend with a road matchup at Western Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. on ESPN+.
Garnering a spot on the first team was punter Max Zuluaga while long snapper Hayden King received a second team recognition.
The Skyhawk pair joined a decorated list by Phil Steele which included 48 players on offense, 48 players on defense and 24 specialists spread across four teams. UT Martin led all Ohio Valley Conference programs with two selections while Tre Yanez (Gardner-Webb) and Quay Kindell (Charleston Southern) also garnered mid-season honors.
Joining the Skyhawks after earning NJCAA All-American honors last season at Trinity Valley, Zuluaga has continued to impress now at the Division I level where he currently leads the country with 46.7 yards per punt. The Madison, Miss. native has consistently flipped the field for the Skyhawks with nine punts of 50 yards or more, including a 75-yard punt against Gardner-Webb and a 74-yard punt against Memphis – both of which rank in the top-10 of longest FCS punts this season. For the season, he has placed 11 punts inside the 20-yard line while recording just three touchbacks.
A consensus preseason All-American pick, King has continued his dominance as the trigger man of the kicking game. Hailing from Dickson, Tenn., King has led an effective special teams unit which currently leads the country in punting average while converting 22-of-22 point after attempts and three field goals. He has also tallied four tackles on the year.
UT Martin returns to action this weekend with a road matchup at Western Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. on ESPN+.
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