Hocking College is proud to recognize former Hocking Hawks kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, who signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League on April 25. Matsuzawa, a native of Chiba, Japan, began his American football career at Hocking College in Nelsonville before transferring to the University of Hawaii, where he became one of the most accurate kickers in college football history.
Matsuzawa’s path to the NFL is unlike any other in the sport. A former high school soccer player, he did not begin kicking a football until age 20, after attending a Monday Night Football game during a visit to the United States. Determined to pursue the sport, he taught himself the mechanics of placekicking by watching YouTube videos, then worked for three years at a restaurant in Tokyo to save money before making his move. He sent highlight footage of his kicking to college programs across the country. Hocking College was the only one to respond.
His story is also a powerful example of what JUCO athletics can open up. Matsuzawa arrived in Nelsonville with no college football experience and no scholarship. He worked on campus, developed his craft on the field, and earned his way to a Division I walk-on opportunity — a trajectory that should resonate with any athlete who thinks their path to a higher level might be finished before it starts. It isn’t.
His recruitment started the way most would not expect. Matsuzawa’s entire recruiting process took place over email with Hocking’s Special Teams Coordinator at the time. The highlight footage he sent showed him kicking field goals through telephone poles.
"It was pretty easy to see that he had a lot of talent and potential," said Hocking College’s Head Football Coach Craig Moore.
Over two seasons and 16 games in Nelsonville, Matsuzawa grew from a punter and kickoff specialist into one of the Hawks’ most reliable weapons. His sophomore season told the story: 12-of-17 field goals made, 16-of-17 extra points converted, and a game-winning 50-yard field goal against Louisburg College on Oct. 2, 2022, which still stands as the signature kick of his time at Hocking.
Off the field, Matsuzawa earned A’s and B’s throughout his time at Hocking, maintaining a GPA well above 3.5 while also working as a student-employee on campus.
"What stood out about Kansei was his work ethic. He was always on time, and always lifting and kicking. Kansei created his own stretching and plyometric routine that he stuck to religiously. His teammates loved being around him — he was universally admired on campus. Kansei helped set the standard of what it meant to be a student-athlete here, and did everything with a smile on his face,” Moore said.
After two seasons with the Hocking Hawks, Matsuzawa walked on at the University of Hawaii in 2023. What followed was a record-breaking college career that earned him national recognition.
In his senior season in 2025, Matsuzawa made 27 of 29 field goal attempts, setting a new single-season school record at Hawaii and tying an FBS record by converting his first 25 attempts of the year. He was named the first consensus All-American in University of Hawaii program history, won Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors, and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top placekicker. He left Hawaii as the most accurate kicker in program history, with a career field goal percentage of .867.
Matsuzawa, nicknamed “The Tokyo Toe,” attended the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. He went undrafted but signed with the Raiders shortly after the draft concluded. He is expected to compete for the starting kicker position alongside veteran Matt Gay and is scheduled to report to the Raiders’ rookie minicamp this weekend.
"Kansei’s journey is exactly the kind of story we want every prospective student to hear,” said Hocking College President Dr. Betty Young. “He came to Hocking with a dream, an extraordinary work ethic, and the willingness to bet on himself when no one else would. What he accomplished here, and what he went on to achieve at Hawaii and now with the Raiders, is a testament to what becomes possible when talent meets opportunity. We are so proud of him, and we are proud that Hocking College was part of his story."
Matsuzawa’s story, from teaching himself to kick in Tokyo to earning a contract in the NFL, began in Nelsonville. Hocking College congratulates him on this remarkable achievement and wishes him continued success with the Las Vegas Raiders.
For more information about Hocking College Athletics, visit https://athletics.hocking.edu/landing/index.
