New London — It was week one freshman year, and Tyler Henning, a high school kicker from Cypress, Texas, was trying out to be the Coast Guard Academy punter.

It was a position he never played before, yet he remembers that one of his competitors for the job was injured in a basic tackling drill. Henning became the Bears' kicker and the punter.

"We were searching for a punter," Coast Guard coach Bill George said Wednesday. "... The best punter in the country won the job by default. It's like having a wrestle-off in an empty ring."

Henning was named New England Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Sunday, following Coast Guard's 21-20 victory over Salve Regina. And the award came for good reason.

Henning kicked three field goals in the game, including the winning 37-yarder with 3 seconds remaining, following a timeout by Salve to ice him, and he averaged 41.2 yards on six punts, three of them inside the 20-yard-line. One third-quarter punt pinned Salve at its own 1-yard-line, changing the momentum of the game in Coast Guard's favor.

Coast Guard is 2-2 overall, 1-0 in the NEFC heading to Maine Maritime Academy for a noon start Saturday.

Henning is ranked seventh in the nation in punting and first in the NEFC, compiling more than 1,000 yards. He was a first-team all-conference pick at the position last year, having to miss several games as the Bears' kicker due to an injury.

He's also tied for first in the NEFC with five field goals (5-for-8) and is approaching Coast Guard's career records for field goals (28, he has 26) and PATs (87, he has 86).

"No," said Henning, nearly choking, when asked if he was a good punter right away. "(I could kick it) maybe 30 yards. It was pretty rough. I've gotten better, so that's always nice. It was just learning how to drop the ball, where to drop it and how to drop it. You hope that it goes to the right spot."

Henning also had a high, booming punt that was fumbled Saturday, with the Bears recovering; meanwhile Coast Guard sophomore Ryan Robertson blocked a pair of punts.

"Special teams was huge. It won us the game," senior defensive back Eli Maurer said. "I talk about him all the time; Tyler's a huge weapon for us. He helps the defense put immensely. How high he punts the ball makes it hard to catch."

Henning, who was escorted to midfield prior to the game by his mom and dad, Steve and Kris, prior to Saturday's Parents' Weekend game, admits to being nervous prior to the game-winning kick ... and every time he steps on the field.

He missed a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter before settling in to make kicks of 28, 35 and, finally 37. He never looked at the game-winner, instead watching for holder Jordan Groff's reaction.

"(Punting) helps calm my nerves a lot," Henning said at Wednesday's weekly team luncheon. "It kind of helps me just settle down. I get really nervous when I do a field goal. ... I was just kind of glad we won at that point. I don't know about (making the decisive play). It was a team effort.

"... When I first got here I was just so nervous being in a new environment. Someboday told me we might have a game in the snow and that freaked me out."

George made Henning an honorary offensive captain for Saturday's game at Maine, a rare honor for a kicker, he said.

George points out a third dimension to Henning's game, his kickoffs. He leads the league with five touchbacks and Coast Guard leads the NEFC in kickoff coverage.

"There seemed to be this spot somewhere around sophomore year where he just exploded," George said. "His kickoffs this year have been outstanding. He's put the ball where he wants. ... I had 100 percent confidence in the kid."

v.fulkerson@theday.com

Twitter: @vickieattheday