Penn State boosted by return of punter Riley Thompson
Penn State football picked up a big boost for the 2024 season with the announcement that punter Riley Thompson would return next year. The Australian punter posted to Twitter on Saturday afternoon that a waiver had been granted for him to participate next year.
Addressing the graphic to Nittany Nation, the punter detailed his impending return for not just the 2024 season, but 2025 as well.
“I have absolutely loved my first season playing in front of you guys at Beaver Stadium. I am so thrilled to announce that I have been approved by the NCAA for a two-year extension to my eligibility clock through the 2025 season. (And) I can’t wait to be back out there with my teammates and in front of you.
“Job’s not finished. We Are!”
Riley Thompson granted two more years of eligibility at Penn State
Thompson was on multiple Freshman All-American teams for his performance at FAU in 2022 before his transfer to Penn State last offseason. That came only after three years at Deakin University in Australia, making five years of college, technically.
Thompson walked during Penn State’s senior day but, according to his announcement, has been granted an additional two years of eligibility available with a waiver.
Meeting with reporters earlier this season, Thompson acknowledged that the Nittany Lions’ focus on excellent special teams play was a big part of his decision to join the program last offseason.
“I wanted to go somewhere that had a strong emphasis on special teams,” Thompson said. “The people here, they’re awesome. I really value everyone being invested and looking after each other and looking out for each other. And that’s really what I found here. I think it’s one big unit and we operate as a family. That really stood out to me. And, I think it made it a no-brainer for me when I started talking with Penn State to come here.”
Next steps
This past season, Thompson punted the ball 46 times over the Nittany Lions’ 12-game regular season. He accumulated 2,080 yards of punts, good for an average of 45.2 yards per punt. Among them, his long for the season was 56 yards. Only twice did his punts go for touchbacks. And, 13 times his punts went for 50 or more yards. Another 16 attempts were downed inside the 20 yard line.
Thompson’s announced return comes just days after punter Alex Bacchetta announced his entry into the NCAA transfer portal.
