Graduate kicker/punter Eric Goins has been named a finalist for the 2024 Armed Forces Merit Award, which was created to honor an individual and/or a group with a military background and/or involvement that have an impact within the realm of college football.
The award was created in 2012, and is coordinated by the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl staff. The winner of the award will be announced on November 11 – Veterans Day.
Goins is a former US Army Infantry and Communications officer who is a graduate student pursuing a dual master’s degree in business administration and global affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Goins has seen action kicking off in four games for the Irish, totaling 25 kickoffs and 13 touchbacks.
For his undergraduate career, Goins enrolled at The Citadel and played football from 2013-15. He still ranks tied for third on The Citadel’s career field goals made list with 25, and T-fifth on The Citadel’s career kicking points list with 150. His 16 field goals made in 2015 still holds the record for most in a season by a Citadel player, while his five field goals made, and 17 kicking points scored, vs. VMI in 2015 both remain Citadel records.
With a year of eligibility remaining, he commissioned into the Army as an officer in 2016. He began as an infantry officer and later went to airborne school and assumed a role as an airborne infantry officer and second lieutenant. He served as an infantry platoon leader at the domestic base, where his group’s role was to play the part of the opposing force at the joint readiness training center. Before units deployed overseas, they were certified as prepared after fighting mock battles and deployments against the opposing force on base.
After three years, he underwent training to become a signal corps officer and captain, a role which is stationed with each military unit to ensure computer and radio communication availability. He was deployed to Germany for three years with an air defense artillery battalion. The mission of his group was to provide air missile defense to Europe, and his unit deployed to Poland during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to provide air and missile defense coverage for the military and aid deliveries to Ukrainian soldiers.
In July of 2023, Goins received permission to leave the Army and pursue a graduate degree. He joined the Notre Dame football team in the spring of 2024.