ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNER
For
IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 17, 2010
CONTACT: JEFF HODGES - (256) 765-4595
ERIC CZERNIEWSKI WINS 2010 HILL TROPHY
AS DIVISION II FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
FLORENCE, Ala. -- University of
Central Missouri senior quarterback Eric
Czerniewski claimed the Harlon Hill Trophy Friday
as the 2010 Division II College Football
Player of the Year.
Czerniewski received 164 total points and
held a slim six-point margin over West Liberty
(W.V.) University's Zach Amedro in the closest
voting in the 25-year history of the award.
Amedro finished second in the voting for the
second straight year, this time by just six points
with a 158 total. Northwest Missouri State
University senior quarterback Blake Bolles was
third with 64 points.
The
award winner is determined in voting by the
Division II sports information directors and was
presented in front of a crowd of 400 at the 25th
annual Harlon Hill Trophy award banquet at the
Marriott Shoals Conference Center.
The
Harlon Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City
of Florence, Florence-Lauderdale Tourism,
Opti-Net, Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and Herff
Jones.
Czerniewski, a senior from Montgomery City, Mo.,
received 35 first-place votes in the balloting to
34 for Amedro.
Czerniewski is the first quarterback to win the
award since Jimmy Terwilliger in 2005, snapping a
streak of four consecutive running backs
selected.
Czerniewski had previously been selected as the
Daktronics Division II Offensive Player of the
Year and first-team All-American quarterback by
Daktronics and the American Football Coaches
Association.
He
set Division II records this season with 5,207
passing yards, while also leading the nation with
5,203 yards of total offense and 46 touchdown
passes.
He
threw for more than 300 yards 10 times this season
and completed 66 percent of his 670 pass attempts.
His efforts led Central Missouri to an 11-3
record, a number eight national ranking and into
the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs.
Selected Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic
Association Offensive Player of the Year,
Czerniewski was also first-team All-MIAA
quarterback, first-team Daktronics Super Region 4
quarterback and Super Region 4 Offensive Player of
the Year.
Czerniewki shattered every school and conference
passing record for a season and career and
finished his career with 12,847 passing yards,
1,043 career completions, and 107 career touchdown
passes.
His
career passing yardage total ranks fourth best in
Division II history.
Following Czerniewski, Amedro and Bolles in the
voting were sophomore quarterback Bo Cordell of
Tusculum (51), sophomore quarterback Mitchell Gale
of Abilene Christian (47), freshman running back
Franklyn Quiteh of Bloomsburg (45), senior running
back Phil Milbrath of Michigan Tech (32), junior
quarterback Clay Garcia of the Colorado School of
Mines (25) and senior quarterback Nick Hardesty of
Henderson State (20).
Amedro, a senior from Moundsville, W.V., was also
a Hil finalist in 2009 and is the West Virginia
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive
Player of the Year for the second tim. This
season he averaged 3.8 touchdown passes per game
with 38 in 10 games. He completed 329-of-485
passes for 4,058 yards and averaged 32.9
completions per game to rank second nationally.
Amedro was also second nationally in passing yards
per game at 405.8. He is now the leading passer in
NCAA Division II history, setting career records
with 14,733 passing yards, 1,079 pass completions
, 334.8 passing yards per game, 30 300-yard
passing games, 29 300-yard total offense games ;
13 consecutive 300-yard passing games and 13
consecutive 300-yard total offense games.
Bolles, a senior from Lincoln, Neb., has helped
lead Northwest Missouri State
to a
12-2 record and into the semifinals of the
playoffs this season. He threw for 3,846 yards and
30 touchdowns, completing 62.8 percent of his 459
pass attempts. He also rushing for 248 yards and
five touchdowns.
For
his career, Bolles ranks among the most efficient
passers in Division II history. He is
Northwest Missouri's all-time leader in passing
yards (8,668) and passing touchdowns (79) and has
helped lead Northwest to an MIAA-record 46
straight conference victories. Bolles had a
26-3 record as a starter and was 7-1 in playoff
starts.
* *
*
The
Hill Trophy is named for a former UNA player -
Harlon Hill - who was a standout with the Lions
from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the
National Football League with the Chicago Bears.
North
Dakota State quarterback Jeff Bentrim won the
initial Hill Trophy in 1986, before Texas
A&M-Kingsville running back Johnny Bailey won
three straight Hill trophies from 1987-89.
Another North Dakota State quarterback, Chris
Simdorn, claimed the 1990 award, followed by
Pittsburg State's Ronnie West in 1991 and Ronald
Moore in 1992, New Haven running back Roger
Graham in 1993, Valdosta State quarterback
Chris Hatcher in 1994, North Alabama linebacker
Ronald McKinnon in 1995 , Truman State running
back Jarrett Anderson in 1996, Bloomsburg running
back Irvin Sigler in 1997, Emporia State running
back Brian Shay in 1998 , Northern Colorado
quarterback Corte McGuffey in 1999, Valdosta State
quarterback Dusty Bonner in 2000 and 2001, and
Grand Valley State quarterback Curt Anes in 2002.
University of North Alabama senior quarterback
Will Hall claimed the trophy in 2003.
Colorado-Mines quarterback Chad Friehauf took the
trophy in 2004, East Stroudsburg's Jimmy
Terwilliger in 2005, Chadron State's Danny
Woodhead in 2006 and 2007 and Abilene Christian's
Bernard Scott in 2008. Wayne State (Mich.) running
back Joique Bell won the 2009 Hill Trophy.
2010
HILL VOTE TOTALS
TOTAL
1st
2nd
3rd
Points
Player
Place
Place
Place
164
Eric
Czerniewski
QB
SR
Central Missouri
35
22
15
158
Zach
Amedro
QB
SR
West
Liberty
34
24
8
64
Blake
Bolles
QB
SR
NW
Missouri State
6
16
14
51
Bo
Cordell
QB
SO
Tusculum
6
13
7
47
Mitchell Gale
QB
SO
Abilene Christian
6
7
15
45
Franklyn Quiteh
RB
FR
Bloomsburg
6
4
19
32
Phil
Milbrath
RB
SR
Michigan Tech
1
10
9
25
Clay
Garcia
QB
JR
Colorado-Mines
4
4
5
20
Nick
Hardesty
QB
SR
Henderson State
3
1
9
* 101
total ballots cast
ALL-TIME HARLON HILL WINNERS
Year
Player
Pos.
School
Point
Total
1986
Jeff
Bentrim
QB
North
Dakota State University
133
1987
Johnny Bailey
RB
Texas
A&M University-Kingsville
106
1988
Johnny Bailey
RB
Texas
A&M University-Kingsville
158
1989
Johnny Bailey
RB
Texas
A&M University-Kingsville
182
1990
Chris
Simdorn
QB
North
Dakota State University
123
1991
Ronnie West
WR
Pittsburg State University
109
1992
Ronald Moore
RB
Pittsburg State University
148
1993
Roger
Graham
RB
University of New Haven
160
1994
Chris
Hatcher
QB
Valdosta State University
209
1995
Ronald McKinnon
LB
University of North Alabama
188
1996
Jarrett Anderson
TB
Truman State University
207
1997
Irvin
Sigler
TB
Bloomsburg University
208
1998
Brian
Shay
RB
Emporia State University
303
1999
Corte
McGuffey
QB
Northern Colorado
205
2000
Dusty
Bonner
QB
Valdosta State University
156
2001
Dusty
Bonner
QB
Valdosta State University
209
2002
Curt
Anes
QB
Grand
Valley State University
271
2003
Will
Hall
QB
University of North Alabama
150
2004
Chad
Friehauf
QB
Colorado School of Mines
194
2005
Jimmy
Terwilliger
QB
East
Stroudsburg University
121
2006
Danny
Woodhead
RB
Chadron State
187
2007
Danny
Woodhead
RB
Chadron State
175
2008
Bernard Scott
RB
Abilene Christian
253
2009
Joique Bell
RB
Wayne
State (Mich.)
138
2010
Eric
Czerniewski
QB
Central Missouri
164
AMEDRO, BOLLES AND CZERNIEWSKI INVITED
TO HARLON HILL BANQUET
AS TOP THREE FINISHERS
Release in PDF Format
P
hotos
of 2010 Top Three
FLORENCE, Ala. -- The voting has concluded
for the NCAA Division II College Football Player
of the Year Award, and while the results of that
voting won't be announced until December 17, three
players have received invitations to attend the
25th Annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation
Banquet for the naming of the top player in
Division II.
Senior quarterback Zach Amedro of West Liberty
(W.V.) University, senior quarterback Blake
Bolles of Northwest Missouri State University and
senior quarterback Eric Czerniewski of the
University of Central Missouri and have
emerged as the top three vote-getters from a field
of nine finalists in voting by the sports
information directors at the 149 schools that
compete in Division II football.
The Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of
Florence, Ala., Florence-Lauderdale Tourism,
Opti-Net, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa
and Herff Jones.
Candidates for the 2010 Hill Trophy were nominated
by the sports information directors at their
respective schools and those nominations were then
reviewed by the Hill Regional Advisory Committees,
which trimmed the list of candidates.
National voting concluded on December 3
and the top three finishers are
invited to the Shoals for the presentation
banquet. The winner of the 2010 award, which is
presented by the National Harlon Hill Award
Committee, will be announced at the Harlon Hill
Trophy and Division II Football Hall of Fame
Banquet on Friday, December 17 in Florence, prior
to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
on Dec. 18. The banquet will include the induction
of coaches Ken Sparks of Carson-Newman College,
Mel Tjeerdsma of Northwest Missouri State
University and Bobby Wallace of the University of
West Alabama into the Division II Football Hall of
Fame.
Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight
and can be purchased by calling Judy Keenum at the
Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661.
Other finalists for the 2010 award were sophomore
quarterback Bo Cordell of Tusculum (Tenn.)
College, sophomore quarterback Mitchell Gale of
Abilene Christian (Texas) University, junior
quarterback Clay Garcia of the Colorado School of
Mines, senior quarterback Nick Hardesty of
Henderson State University, senior running back
Phil Milbrath of Michigan Tech University and
freshman running back Franklyn Quiteh of
Bloomsburg (Pa.) University.
Amedro, a senior from Moundsville, W.V., was also
a Hil finalist in 2009 and is the West Virginia
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive
Player of the Year for the second tim. This
season he averaged 3.8 touchdown passes per game
with 38 in 10 games. He completed 329-of-485
passes for 4,058 yards and averaged 32.9
completions per game to rank second nationally.
Amedro was also second nationally in passing yards
per game at 405.8.
He is now the leading passer in NCAA Division II
history, setting career records with 14,733
passing yards, 1,079 pass completions , 334.8
passing yards per game, 30 300-yard passing games,
29 300-yard total offense games ; 13 consecutive
300-yard passing games and 13 consecutive 300-yard
total offense games.
Bolles, a senior from Lincoln, Neb., has helped
lead Northwest Missouri State
to a 12-1 record and into the semifinals of the
playoffs this season. He has thrown for 3,705
yards and 29 touchdowns, completing 62.8 percent
of his passes. He has thrown just eight
interceptions in 430 pass attempts, while also
rushing for 213 yards and five touchdowns.
For his career, Bolles ranks among the most
efficient passers in Division II history. He is
Northwest Missouri's all-time leader in passing
yards (8,527) and passing touchdowns (78) and has
helped lead Northwest to an MIAA-record 46
straight conference victories.
Czerniewski, a senior from Montgomery City, Mo.,
is the 2010 Mid-America Athletic Association
Offensive Player of the Year and the first-team
All-MIAA quarterback. He is the nation’s
fourth-ranked passer with an average of 371.9
yards per game. His 5,207 total passing yards and
46 touchdown passes this season are tops in the
country.
He completed 447 of 670 pass attempts and had a
66.7 completion percentage, while leading Central
Missouri to an 11-3 record and into the
quarterfinals of the playoffs. This season, he
threw for more than 300 yards 10 times, and more
than 260 yards in every game.
He is ranked first in MIAA history with more than
12,847 passing yards and became the league's total
offense leader as well. He also has 107 career TD
passes and 1,043 career pass completions.
The initial Harlon Hill Trophy was won by North
Dakota State quarterback Jeff Bentrim in 1986,
followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville
runningback Johnny Bailey - in 1987, 1988 and
1989.
Another North Dakota State quarterback, Chris
Simdorn, claimed the 1990 award, followed by
Pittsburg State receiver Ronnie West in 1991,
Pittsburg State running back Ronald Moore in 1992,
New Haven running back Roger Graham in 1993
and Valdosta State University quarterback Chris
Hatcher in 1994. North Alabama linebacker Ronald
McKinnon became the first defensive player to win
the award when he claimed the Hill Trophy in 1995.
Truman State University running back Jarrett
Anderson won the 1996 award and Bloomsburg
University running back Irvin Sigler claimed the
Hill Trophy in 1997 award. Running back Brian Shay
of Emporia State won in 1998, followed by Northern
Colorado quarterback Corte McGuffey in 1999 and
Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner in 2000
and 2001, and Grand Valley State quarterback Curt
Anes in 2002. The 2003 trophy was awarded to
North Alabama quarterback Will Hall, and Chad
Friehauf of the Colorado School of Mines won the
2004 award. East Stroudsburg's Jimmy Terwilliger
claimed the 2005 Hill Trophy as a junior and
Chadron State running back Danny Woodhead won the
2006 and 2007 Hill Trophies to become just the
third two-time winner. Running back Bernard Scott
of Abilene Christian won the 2008 Hill Trophy and
running back Joique Bell of Wayne State (Mich.)
claimed last year's Hill Trophy.
2010
HARLON HILL TROPHY TOP THREE
(listed alphabetically)
Pos.
Ht
Wt
Cl
School
Hometown
Zach Amedro
QB
6-0
200
SR
West Liberty
Moundsville, W.V.
Blake Bolles
QB
6-4
210
SR
NW Missouri State
Lincoln, Neb.
Eric Czerniewski
QB
6-0
190
SR
Central Missouri
Montgomery City, Mo.
2010 HARLON HILL TROPHY OTHER FINALISTS
Pos.
Ht
Wt
Cl
School
Hometown
Bo Cordell
QB 6-1
195
SO
Tusculum
Cincinnati, Ohio
Mitchell Gale
QB
6-2
220
SO
Abilene Christian
Alva, Okla.
Clay Garcia
QB
6-0
200
JR
Colorado-Mines
Alamosa, Colo.
Nick Hardesty
QB 6-0
210
SR
Henderson State
Salina, Kansas
Phil Milbrath
RB
5-9
200
SR
Michigan Tech
Norway, Mich.
Franklyn Quiteh
RB
5-10
197
FR
Bloomsburg
Tobyhanna, Pa.
