Q&A with Blue Tiger Student-Athlete Clayton Winkler

Lincoln University of Missouri punter Clayton Winkler.

Lincoln University of Missouri is proud to highlight a student-athlete who exemplifies dedication, resilience and excellence on and off the field — Clayton Winkler, a senior math education major from California, Missouri.

Winkler’s journey to Lincoln began with inspiration from his father and uncle, both of whom played football at California High School, the same school he attended. After graduating, Winkler faced an uncertain path. Without offers to play, he spent his first fall after high school coaching youth football in California, Missouri. Encouraged by California youth football program coaches, Seth Thompson and Mike Turner, Winkler waited for the right opportunity and trusted in his faith.

“A week later, one of those coaches put in a word for me to the Lincoln head coach, and then God did the rest,” Winkler said.

By the spring, he had walked on at Lincoln University and earned a spot as a two-way starter (punter and free safety).

Fast forward to fall 2024, and Winkler was an All-GLVC first-team punter, leading the conference with 42.5 yards per punt on 71 kicks. Only 6 kicks were blocked this season, and 13 of his punts traveled over 50 yards. Over his four years at Lincoln, Winkler amassed nearly 9,000 punting yards, with a career-long punt of 71 yards. Of his 229 career punts, only 10 were ever blocked.

Read our Q&A with Clayton Winkler below.

What’s your favorite part about being a Blue Tiger?
My favorite part about being a Blue Tiger is the joy I receive every day for getting to play the sport that I love. I feel honored to represent Lincoln on the field because they gave me the opportunity to play, so I make the best of it.

How do you balance the demands of football and academics?
I have always enjoyed going to school, so I am always excited to go to class. I like the feeling of being organized and having routines throughout the week to keep me successful. It’s important to stay ahead of my work, and I also like to do a lot of my homework on the road trips back from away games.

Can you walk us through a typical day in your life during the football season?
My favorite days are when we have weights. To challenge myself, I chose to walk to weights every morning even though I have a car. Then I would walk to the cafeteria and eat a full breakfast. The cafeteria serves great omelets and waffles, so I made sure I ate well every morning. After breakfast, I would go back to my room for a quick nap before going to class for the day. I enjoy walking to class as well. Then we would practice for about three hours, followed by dinner in the cafeteria. Some nights I would have a Bible study to go to, and other nights I would hang out with my friends — we enjoy playing against each other in Madden.

What’s the most challenging aspect of being a student-athlete?
I think the most challenging thing is staying motivated through adversity. I have learned to compete against myself in every situation to become the best version of myself, so it was not hard for me to stay motivated throughout the whole season.

What are you most proud of accomplishing during your time as a football player at Lincoln University?
I am most proud of building a positive culture with my position groups (the specialists). We grew and competed all year, which made us better. I am also pleased with getting first-team all-conference this past season.

What’s been the most memorable moment of your football career at Lincoln so far?
The most memorable moment I have had was when I hit a surprise onside kick off, and we recovered the ball at Homecoming my freshman year! However, my most joyful moment was when I held the ball for my best friend, Mo (Mo Alwaely), when he made a 52-yard field goal. The whole team was overflowed with joy!

How has your time as a student-athlete at Lincoln University shaped you?
Being a student-athlete has taught me the skills of time management. I have learned how to schedule and how to show up early to things. This is important for my future job life. Year-round, I am busy with a full-day schedule, so I feel that I have gained time management skills and how to positively deal with stress.

What advice do you have for future student-athletes?
You have to be coachable, or you’ll never succeed. You also have to find joy in what you do.

Clayton Winkler is set to graduate with a degree in math education from Lincoln University in December 2025. After graduation, he plans to remain at Lincoln to pursue a master’s degree while playing baseball.