ELON — Elon has developed a tradition of standout specialists in recent seasons, and junior kicker
Luke Barnes enters 2026 as the latest player looking to continue that run.
Barnes has steadily developed since arriving at Elon. As a freshman in 2024, he took over the place-kicking duties for the final five games and made all 21 of his extra-point attempts. A year later, he emerged as one of the top kickers in the FCS.
Barnes made 15 of 18 field-goal attempts in 2025, including 14 of 15 from inside 50 yards, while going a perfect 40-for-40 on extra points. His 85 points ranked second among CAA kickers and led the Phoenix. He also recorded 20 touchbacks on 49 kickoffs. The performance earned Barnes third-team All-CAA recognition and Associated Press honorable mention All-America honors.
That progression has continued into 2026. Barnes was named a Stats Perform FCS second-team preseason All-American and earned a spot on the preseason All-CAA team. He is the second consecutive Elon specialist to earn Stats Perform preseason All-America recognition.
"For Luke, it's been a meteoric rise since his freshman year," specialists coach
Mike Nall said. "He's a clutch kid and I know when we need Luke, he's going to come through for us. He always has."
While the kicking job belongs to an established veteran, Elon will have a new face at punter following the departure of two-time All-American
Jeff Yurk.
Freshman
Connor Dunn and redshirt freshman
Carter Stimson are competing for the job. Stimson did not play in 2025 but arrived at Elon with an accomplished high school resume at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia. He averaged 49 yards per punt as a senior and was a 2024 Kohl's Kicking first-team All-American punter. Dunn, a 5-foot-10 freshman from Lexington, North Carolina, joins the competition after playing at North Davidson High School.
"They both have been doing a great job and they both have their strengths," Nall said. "Whichever one wins the job is going to do a great job for us. It will be a smooth transition, and we'll reload not rebuild."
Whoever wins the job will attempt to continue a remarkable stretch under Nall.
Nall returned to Elon before the 2019 season and has helped turn the Phoenix specialists into one of the program's most decorated groups. Skyler Davis became a consensus first-team All-American kicker in 2022 before Yurk earned first-team All-America recognition in 2024 and again received All-America honors in 2025. Barnes joined that group with his AP honor last season. In 2025, Elon became just the second Division I program since 2019 to have an AP All-American at both kicker and punter in the same season.
"Going into my senior year here, I've gotten to work with some incredible punters and kickers," redshirt junior long snapper
Trey Hoffman said. "Luke's been incredible to work with and he delivers on the field when it matters. This upcoming season, I'm really excited to see what Carter and Connor do, they're both really talented and have excited futures ahead."
With Barnes established at kicker and another punting competition underway, Nall's group will look to make 2026 the latest chapter in Elon's run of success on special teams.
Specialists Personnel
Luke Barnes | Jr. | Greensboro, N.C.
Ben Barrett | So. | Chicago, Ill.
Sam Creed | Fr. | Southern Pines, N.C.
Connor Dunn | Fr. | Lexington, N.C.
Trey Hoffman | R-Jr. | Durham, N.C.
Carter Stimson | R-Fr. | Alexandria, Va.
Leo Taylor | Fr. | Naperville, Ill.
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