As Indiana prepares for its first national championship appearance in school history, its 2026 transfer class continues to build.
The Hoosiers secured a commitment from former Troy University kicker Paddy McAteer, he announced on X on Tuesday. McAteer is Indiana’s 16th commit of the 2026 transfer cycle and will have one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.
McAteer spent two seasons at Troy before landing in Bloomington. In 2024, McAteer ranked 13th in the nation with an average kickoff distance of 68.4 yards per kickoff.
The following season, he averaged 60.2 yards per kickoff and made 1-of-2 field goal attempts. McAteer kicked for a touchback on 34 of his 64 kickoffs. His lone field goal made in 2025 came from 53 yards out against Texas State University on Oct. 11. McAteer was later named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Texas State.
Before joining Troy’s football team in August of 2024, McAteer played Gaelic football for the Mullaghbawn Gaelic Football Club. Gaelic football is a cross between soccer and rugby, and the national sport of Ireland. The Mullaghbawn, Ireland, native did not kick an American football until April 2024 at the age of 20.
McAteer is positioned to replace Brendan Franke as the Hoosiers’ kickoff specialist next season. Franke is out of collegiate eligibility at the season’s end.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
