KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas Wesleyan freshman kicker AJ Woods made four field goals on four tries and finished a perfect 8-for-8 on point-after attempts in the Coyotes’ 76-6 win over Bethany (Kan.), Saturday at JRI Stadium in Salina.
Tuesday, he claimed the first PrestoSports-NAIA Football Special Teams Player of the Week award in the 2026 season.
Woods registered the first points at home for the Coyotes in 2026 with 7:52 left in the opening quarter, booting a 42-yard field goal that got things going on a 44-point first half for KWU, playing in the 116th edition of the KWU-Bethany game.
A two-sport student-athlete who also plays baseball for the Coyotes, he added two more first-half field goals in the second quarter – 25 and 30 yards – and by halftime, he was responsible for 14 of the Coyotes 44 points.
His final kick of the day came with 9:35 left in the game, an 18-yard field goal that put the Coyotes in front 68-6.
Now 1-1 in 2026, KWU travels to Avila on Saturday to continue the season, with kickoff on the Urban Edge Network slated for 1 p.m.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
ABOUT THE KANSAS COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and sponsors 29 varsity sports. Founded in 1890, the KCAC is the second oldest intercollegiate athletic conference in the country. As the conference home to 14 member institutions, the KCAC emphasizes commitment, cooperation, high achievement, and working towards a common goal in the act of competition. To keep up with the latest conference news, follow the KCAC on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram using the handle @kcacsports.
—KCAC—