Illinois Fighting Illini bring back familiar kicker from Washington in transfer portal

Bret Bielema and the Illinois Fighting Illini will have a reunion with one of their players, seeing kicker Ethan Moczulski return to the program.

Moczulski announced his decision to come back to Illinois on Wednesday, per On3 insider Pete Nakos. Hailing from Mead, Washington, he departs the Washington Huskies after one season.

The experienced kicker has been in the sport since 2023, coming out of the 2022 class as one of the best at his position. He came out of high school with a three-star ranking with an 80 score on 247Sports, listing at the top spot among kickers and 56th in the state of Washington.

He returns to the Fighting Illini on Jan. 14, a week after entering the portal. Throughout the 2025 campaign with Washington, he recorded up to 74 kickoffs for 4,765 yards. He also made two tackles on the defensive side of the ball.

What’s next for Illinois after reuniting with Ethan Moczulski

It’s pleasant update for Bret Bielema and Illinois to get, reuniting with their kickoff specialist in Ethan Moczulski.

Throughout the 2024 season with Illinois, Moczulski handled all 70 kickoff attempts in 2024, averaging 61.9 yards per kickoff, with 38 touchbacks. He also attempted two field goals, making a school-record 59-yarder against Central Michigan.

In the meantime, Bielema and the Fighting Illini look to continue their progress as one of the top Big Ten teams. They accomplished their second consecutive campaign with nine or more wins, going 9-4 throughout 2025. However, they went 5-4 in Big Ten Play, placing seventh in the league standings, above the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Washington Huskies while trailing the Iowa Hawkeyes and USC Trojans.

Bielema has made strides throughout his Illinois stint, going 37-26 after five seasons. However, Year 6 will be big for the head coach as the program looks to take the next step in national contention.

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