By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
At 5-foot-6, 170 pounds, place-kicker Aidan Battle is the smallest player on the 2025 Washburn University football roster.
Aidan Battle is off to a quick start in his first season as Washburn's place-kicker, including a 51-yard field goal. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But the former Atchison and Butler Community College standout has already come up big in just two games for the Ichabods this fall.
Battle, who received All-Jayhawk Conference recognition in both of his seasons at Butler, made an immediate impact in his Washburn debut on Aug. 30, kicking 37 and 51-yard field goals and connecting on both of his extra-point attempts as the Ichabods topped Truman State, 20-17.
Battle's 51-yarder, which proved to be the difference in the game, was the longest by an Ichabod kicker since 2013 and helped him earn MIAA Player of the Week honors.
Battle only got one kicking opportunity in last Saturday's 34-7 MIAA loss to Northwest Missouri, but kicked the extra point after WU's lone touchdown to remain perfect on the year.
Despite his success at Butler, Battle didn't receive much recruiting attention after his sophomore season until Washburn came calling to save the day.
"It was about the middle of December and it was kind of time to decide whether I was going to go back (to Butler for the spring semester) or stay at home and take a gap semester,'' Battle said. "Then in the middle of one night I had contact with Coach (Zach) Watkins and I've been an Ichabod ever since, so I'm just blessed for that opportunity for sure.
"The facilities are amazing, the school itself is a great academic school and I could come in and get the degree I was looking for. It's a great environment with the coaching staff and it just felt like home. As soon as I stepped in on my visit the campus just felt amazing and I just had a great time, so I didn't look back from the moment I got here.''
Battle transferred to Washburn for the spring semester, which he said was an advantage.
"It really helped because I was able to get used to a new environment and a new coaching staff and everyone and everything's been awesome since I got here,'' he said.
Battle admitted that he felt some nervousness when he lined up for his first kick against Truman, but said the nerves quickly went away.
"Everybody's nervous, but once you get out there and make your first play all the nerves go away and it's go time,'' Battle said. "I feel like we have a good operation and we're very smooth, so that helps, and our line does an amazing and I don't feel any type of pressure.
"We have a great fan base and it's just a great environment and I was just excited to go out there and pull through for the team.
Watkins said Battle has been exactly what he hoped for when the Ichabods recruited him.
"We knew we had to address that position with the season we had last year in the field goal kicking game and we identified him when we first got the job in December,'' Watkins said. "He came in and in the spring and summer battled for the job and won the job and has done a great job.''
Washburn will take its first road trip of the season this weekend, traveling to Golden, Colo. to face 1-0 Colorado School of Mines in a 1 p.m. (Topeka time) non-conference game.
The Orediggers opened their season with a 33-31 win over West Texas A&M and went 8-3 in 2024, including a 31-28 win over Washburn in Yager Stadium.
