Nebraska Kicker Nico Ottomanelli’s Exit Sparks Heartfelt Tribute From Mother to Lincoln and Huskers Fans

The spring transfer portal opened on Wednesday, April 16, and closed on April 25. Players had to officially enter the portal during those 10 days to be eligible to play in the 2025 season. However, Nebraska kicker Nico Ottomanelli entered the NCAA transfer portal after the deadline.

He announced on April 28, 2025, three days after the window closed. This means he might not be eligible to play at his next school this coming season. Despite the late timing, Nico’s announcement touched many in the community, especially after his mother’s heartfelt tribute to Lincoln.

Nico Ottomanelli’s Mother Thanks Lincoln Community After Kicker Enters Transfer Portal

Nebraska Cornhuskers kicker Ottomanelli recently announced that he is entering the NCAA transfer portal, leaving the team with four years of eligibility. This means his career with the Huskers ended before it truly began, as he redshirted during the 2024 season and didn’t play.

We LOVED every single second of our time in Lincoln!! We invested in the local community, bought real estate, shopped small businesses. We ❤️ our Huskers and will always cherish our time here. The new college football world is wild! ✌🏼 https://t.co/vHbAX80eRZ

— Michelle Ottomanelli (@meeshotto) April 28, 2025

Ottomanelli, from Harrington Park, New Jersey, was part of Nebraska’s 2024 recruiting class. He was ranked as the top kicker in New Jersey and was known for making 14 of 17 field goals in high school. In his senior year, he went 6-of-8 on field goals and scored 48 extra points.

Shortly after Nico’s announcement, his mother, Michelle Ottomanelli, shared a tweet that seemed to hint at the reason behind his departure. She made it clear that their decision wasn’t because they no longer wanted to be part of the Nebraska program.

“We LOVED every single second of our time in Lincoln!! We invested in the local community, bought real estate, shopped small businesses. We ❤️ our Huskers and will always cherish our time here. The new college football world is wild!”

While the tweet feels like a heartfelt tribute to Lincoln, it also suggests that the move might have been more about the Cornhuskers’ decision to carry three kickers than Nico wanting to leave.

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Moreover, the mention of buying a home shows they expected to stay longer. Her comment about the “new college football world” also points to changes in the sport that may have forced a move that wouldn’t have happened just a few years ago.