Alfredo Gachuz Lozada (born 1 January 1999) is a Mexican professional

gridiron football Gridiron football,"Gridiron football"
''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Ret ...

placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. Spe ...

for the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

(CFL). He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

for

Borregos Salvajes CEM The Borregos Salvajes CEM (English: ''CEM Wild Rams''), or simply Borregos CEM, was an American football team representing the State of Mexico campus of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). The Borregos Salvajes co ...

and later professionally in the

Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional The Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (Professional American Football League), commonly known simply as LFA, is a professional american football spring league in Mexico, founded in 2016. Starting with four teams, the LFA has since expanded t ...

(LFA) with the

Raptors de Naucalpan Raptors de Naucalpan (English: ''Naucalpan Raptors'') are an American football team based in Naucalpan, Mexico. The Raptors compete in the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, the top American football league in Mexico. The team plays its home g ...

Early life and education

Gachuz was born on 1 January 1999 in Mexico. He grew up in

Aguascalientes Aguascalientes (; ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Aguascalientes), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and ...

. He attended the

Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) ( en, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education), also known as Tecnológico de Monterrey or just Tec, is a secular and coeducational private university based in ...

where he studied civil engineering. He was a standout

for

of the

Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano The National Student Organization of American Football ( or ''ONEFA'') is the major college football league in Mexico. American football has been played in Mexico since the early 1920s in different colleges and universities, mainly in Mexico City ...

(ONEFA). A five-time league scoring leader, he finished second in league history in

field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...

s made and converted a record 61-yard game-winning field goal in 2021.

Professional career

Gachuz was selected in the second round (10th overall) of the 2022 Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) Draft by the

. Playing two years for the team, he was twice an LFA all-star. Gachuz, who trains with

Nick Novak Nicholas Ryan Novak (born August 21, 1981) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Maryland. Novak has played for the Washington Redskins, A ...

, was invited to a camp in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

featuring the best 11 Mexican placekickers, hosted by the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

. He made a 58-yard field goal at the event and was given an award as the best participant. His performance there led to an invite to be at the Steelers' rookie minicamp, held in May 2023. He ultimately was not signed by the Steelers. Although not signed by the Steelers, Gachuz was chosen by the

of the

(CFL) in the first round (ninth overall) of the

2023 CFL global draft The 2023 CFL Global Draft was a selection of non-Canadian and non-American players by Canadian Football League (CFL) teams that took place on May 2, 2023. It was the third CFL Draft that pooled all of the global players together after previously ...

, being the only Mexican chosen. He signed with the Argonauts and was placed on the practice roster to begin the season. He was promoted to the active roster on October 20. He made his CFL debut the following day against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, making three of four field goal attempts with a long of 33 and two of three

extra points The conversion, try (American football, also known as a point(s) after touchdown, PAT, or (depending on the number of points) extra point/2-point conversion), or convert (Canadian football) occurs immediately after a touchdown during which the sc ...

attempted. He returned to the practice roster after the game. He was re-signed following the 2023 season. During the off-season, he returned to Mexico and opened a kicking camp in Mexico City. He was placed on the practice roster to open the 2024 season.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gachuz Lozada, Alfredo 1999 births Living people Mexican players of Canadian football American football placekickers Mexican players of American football Canadian football placekickers Sportspeople from Aguascalientes Borregos Salvajes CEM players Toronto Argonauts players