October 1, 2026

Charlotte Touchdown Club Defender of the Nation Award Player Profile: Syracuse’s Josh Kubala

SYRACUSE’S JOSH KUBALA

Syracuse’s Josh Kubala 6’ 2” 235 lbs., Syracuse, NY

Athletic Bio & Honors
Career Overview: Has appeared in 36 games at Syracuse, making nine tackles, one sack and a tackle for loss … Also a member of the ROTC program.

Redshirt Junior Year (2025): Appeared in every game, primarily on special teams … Had a pair of tackles on the season … Made a tackle against UConn (9/6) … Had a solo tackle at Miami (11/8).

Redshirt Sophomore Year (2024): Appeared in 12 games as a key contributor on special teams and reserve linebacker … Had six tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss on the season … Made a solo tackle against Stanford (9/20) … Had a solo stop against Holy Cross (9/28) … Made one tackle and recorded his first collegiate sack at Pittsburgh (10/24) … Made a solo tackle at Boston College (11/9) … Notched a career-high two tackles in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl vs. Washington State (12/27), where he was presented with the Admiral’s Trophy during their tour of a U.S. Navy ship.

Redshirt Freshman Year (2023): Appeared in 12 games as a member of the Orange’s special teams … Made his collegiate debut against Colgate (9/2) … Tallied his first collegiate tackle against Virginia Tech (10/26).

Redshirt Year (2022): Joined the team in summer of 2022 … Did not appear in any games … Member of the ACC Honor Roll … Member of the Su Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in the fall semester

High School / Personal: Earned first-team All-League and All-CNY honors … All-State Fourth Team honoree … Played tight end, wide receiver and punter/kicker for for-time defending section champs … Served as a team captain as a senior … Earned lacrosse All-Academic honors … Member of the National Honor Society. Joshua Kubala … Born October 3,2003 in Fort Hood, Texas … Son of Mike and Beth Kubala … One brother, one sister … Mother, Beth, played lacrosse at Army … Brother, Zach, attended Syracuse University from 2017-21 … Majoring in political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs … Member of ROTC.

Fran Brown, Head Football Coach: “Josh is a leader. He’s relentless in everything from football, his faith, family, academics and friendships. When there’s a mission, he’s the guy you want with you.”

 

The recipient of the Defender of the Nation Award will be announced on October 22^nd from one of the Nation’s (15) military academies and ROTC programs including Air Force Academy, Appalachian State University, Auburn University, The Citadel, Coast Guard Academy, Naval Academy, Norwich University, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Syracuse University, Texas A&M University, Villanova, Virginia Tech, VMI, and West Point and is based on exceptional leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The recipient must also exhibit a high standard of integrity by leading through example.
In conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America, the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet will be held on Monday, December 7^th, at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to honoring the Defender of the Nation Award winner, the banquet will celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Legends Award. University of Oklahoma’s Tony Casillas will be honored as the 2026 Legends Award recipient, and Mack Brown, Former Head Coach of UNC and Texas, is slated as the keynote speaker.

ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE TOUCHDOWN CLUB
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, c

ollegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. Since its inception, the club has grown as well as diversified boasting a sponsor team of more than (80) companies. The Club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship, and Leadership of area athletes and coaches. Through individual and corporate support, more than $3,000,000 has been raised and donated to benefit the Touchdown Club’s scholarship efforts.

ABOUT CAPITAL GROUP OF COMPANIES Rick Hughes has a successful 47-year track record in the automotive finance and insurance industry. Rick worked with publicly held NY Stock Exchange companies, setting up their F&I Programs. Rick worked with Sonic Automotive on setting up their F&I Program, with NCADA to form and market their NC Life program and industry-leading programs to increase dealer revenue. Prior to starting Capital Automotive, Rick was the Director of Business Development for one of the world’s largest automotive finance product and service companies. Rick coordinated various international field forces, presented at BSF and CEO Ninety, and personally developed hundreds of successful dealership personnel. As CEO of the Capital Companies, he created Flex-Pro, a patented program that allows an additional income stream coupled with products, insurance, and reinsurance administrative services. The Capital Companies refers to four unique companies: Capital Benefits Group—Structures custom benefit options based on your business needs, Capital Automotive—Gives dealerships the edge they need to meet and exceed their goals, Capital Processing Systems—Provides state-of-the-art products, administration, insurance and reinsurance services to complement dealership and shareholder financial goals, and Data Dot Dealer Services—Least expensive, most effective anti-theft deterrent ever created. We are a group of companies that work together to help dealers capitalize on their investments. We keep our clients in the game and moving toward the goal line through our consumer and client-centric products and administrative services.

ABOUT VETERANS BRIDGE HOME
Veterans Bridge Home connects Veterans and their families, in any state of transition, to the community. Through our network of partners, we help Veterans navigate employment, create social connections, and settle their families. We look at the whole Veteran and connect them to the resources needed to be successful and thriving leaders in our community. Veterans Bridge Home serves as an entry point for Veterans who don’t know where to turn to access support and services. Because Veterans return home to a civilian community and not to federal agencies or bureaucracies, each community must reach out and actively assist in the reintegration process alongside federal agencies such as the Veterans Administration. The Carolinas have the opportunity and privilege to help bring our nation’s warriors and their families home with the same energy and commitment that our Veterans have displayed in serving our nation. In so doing, ours will serve as a leader to inform other communities that wish to create more welcoming and livable communities for returning Veterans and their families.

PREVIOUS DEFENDER OF THE NATION AWARD RECIPIENTS
2025 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: VMI’s Kouri Crump
2024 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: Norwich University’s Shayne Leddy
2023 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: U.S. Air Force Academy Kyle Johnson
2022 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: Virginia Tech’s Dax Hollifield
2021 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: U.S. Military Academy’s Arik Smith
2019 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: U.S. Air Force Academy Kyle Johnson
2018 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: U.S. Naval Academy’s Sean Williams
2017 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: VMI’s Greg Sanders
2016 Defender of The Nation Award Recipient: U.S. Military Academy’s Andrew King

2026 DEFENDER OF THE NATION PLAYER PROFILES
• October 1: Syracuse / Josh Kubala
• September 30: West Point / Stephen Nnadozie
• September 24: Virginia Tech / Kemari Copeland
• September 23: VMI / Isaiah Grevious
• September 17: Appalachian State / Colton Phares
• September 16: U.S. Air Force / Blake Fletcher
• September 10: Ole Miss / Will Echoles
• September 3: U.S. Naval Academy / Coleman Cauley
• October 22: Defender of the Nation Recipient Announced