Overlooked graduating from a small high school, Burkholder enrolled at Division III powerhouse Ohio Northern University for his freshman season in the fall of 2001.
He is the only player in the history of Ohio Northern's storied football program to be named All-Region as a freshman.
After sitting out one year as a transfer, he moved back to Ohio and enrolled at Bluffton University where he played his final two seasons of eligibility.
[1] He was once named the NCAA Division 3 Player of the Week after a performance against Anderson University in which he made a 39-yard field goal.
In 2012, Burkholder signed to play with the Marion Blue Racers of the United Indoor Football League.