Joseph Zema
{{Short description|Australian gridiron football player (born 1994)}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| name = Joseph Zema
| team = Montreal Alouettes
| image = 2022, 36, Joseph Zema (2).jpg
| image_upright = 1
| caption = Zema with the Montreal Alouettes in 2022
| status = Active
| import = Global
| position1 = Punter
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|8|10}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| number = 36
| college = Incarnate Word
| high_school = Whitefriars
| Height_ft = 6
| Height_in = 0
| Weight_lbs = 215
| CFLDraftedYear = 2021G
| CFLDraftedRound = 1
| CFLDraftedPick = 6
| CFLDraftedTeam = Montreal Alouettes
| playing_years1 = {{AAF Year|2019}}
| playing_team1 = San Antonio Commanders
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2021}}–present
| playing_team2 = Montreal Alouettes
| career_footnotes =
| career_highlights =
| Honours =
| CFLEastAllStar =
| CFL = joseph-zema/166173/
}}
Joseph Zema (born August 10, 1994) is an Australian professional football punter for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
College career
Zema played college football for the Incarnate Word Cardinals in 2017 as a graduate transfer from Australian Catholic University.{{cite web|url=https://uiwcardinals.com/sports/football/roster/joe-zema/6778 |title=Joe Zema |publisher=Incarnate Word Cardinals |access-date=June 25, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/football/cfl/montreal-alouettes/aussie-punter-joe-zema-putting-his-best-foot-forward-with-alouettes |title=Aussie punter Joe Zema putting his best foot forward with Alouettes |publisher=Montreal Gazette |date=July 23, 2021}}
Professional career
= San Antonio Commanders =
Following his college career, Zema had tryouts with the National Football League's New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, but was not signed. Instead, he signed with the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football in 2019 where he had 37 punts with a 45.8-yard average.{{cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2021/06/08/alouettes-sign-former-university-of-montreal-receiver-kevin-kaya-four-2021-global-draft-picks/ |title=Alouettes sign former University of Montreal receiver Kevin Kaya, four 2021 Global Draft picks |publisher=3DownNation |date=June 8, 2021}} His contract was terminated following the dissolution of the league on April 2, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/26423928/aaf-suspends-operations-polian-disappointed |title=AAF suspends operations; Polian 'disappointed' |publisher=ESPN |date=April 2, 2019}}
= Montreal Alouettes =
Zema was declared eligible for the 2021 CFL Global Draft where he was drafted sixth overall by the Montreal Alouettes.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/article/cfl-teams-select-four-australian-punters-first-round-global-draft/ |title=CFL teams select four Australian punters in first round of global draft |publisher=Sportsnet |date=April 15, 2021}} He then signed with the team on June 8, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2021/06/08/alouettes-sign-former-university-of-montreal-receiver-kevin-kaya-four-2021-global-draft-picks/ |title=Alouettes sign former University of Montreal receiver Kevin Kaya, four 2021 Global Draft picks |publisher=3DownNation |date=June 8, 2021}} He earned the job as the team's punter following training camp and played in all 14 regular season games where he punted 90 times with a 45.2-yard average.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/joseph-zema/166173/ |title=Joseph Zema |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=June 25, 2022}}
In 2022, Zema continued his strong play where he played in all 18 regular season games and had 85 punts with a 47.3-yard average.
Personal life
Murray was born in Melbourne, Victoria, to parents Nick and Antonietta Zema. He has one brother, Matthew.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://en.montrealalouettes.com/players/joseph-zema/166173/ Montreal Alouettes bio]
- {{Twitter|josephzema|Joseph Zema}}
{{Montreal Alouettes roster navbox}}
{{110th Grey Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zema, Joseph}}
Category:American football punters
Category:Australian players of American football
Category:Australian players of Canadian football
Category:Canadian football punters
Category:Incarnate Word Cardinals football players
Category:Montreal Alouettes players
Category:San Antonio Commanders players