November 22, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Hodges (256) 765-4595
NINE FINALISTS NAMED FOR
HILL TROPHY AS NCAA DIVISION II FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
FLORENCE, Ala. -- A field of 24 candidates has been
trimmed to nine national finalists in regional voting for the
Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football
Player of the Year. The top two players from
each of the Northeast, South and Midwest regions advanced
through regional voting, along with three players from the West,
where there was a tie in the voting. The finalists were selected
by the NCAA Division II sports information directors in regional
voting and will now be placed on the national ballot where all
156 of the division's SIDs will select the award's seventeenth
winner. The list of finalists was announced by Harlon Hill
Voting Coordinator Dee Corum. The list of 2002 finalists
is comprised of six quarterbacks, two running backs and a
receiver. Five of the finalists have helped lead their
teams into the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs this
weekend.
Advancing from the Northeast
region are quarterback Curt Anes of Grand Valley
State University and running back Ian Smart of C.W. Post.
Finalists from the South region
are quarterback Zak Clark of Central Arkansas and
Carson-Newman quarterback Leonard Guyton.
Running back Kevin Curtin
of Winona State and quarterback Keith Heckendorf of St.
Cloud State advanced from the Midwest region.
Quarterbacks Phillip Boggs
of Midwestern State and Abel Gonzalez of Texas
A&M-Kingsville and wide receiver Michael Oliva of the
UC-Davis were selected from the West region.
he award is sponsored
nationally by Coca-Cola, The North Alabama Bone and Joint
Clinic, First Metro Bank and The Johnson Companies - Industrial
and Commercial Contracting.
Candidates for the 2002 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 to no more than six per region.
National voting will conclude on December 2 and the top three
finishers will be invited to the Shoals are for the presentation
banquet. The winner of the 2002 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 13 in Florence, prior to the NCAA
Division II Football Championship Game on Dec. 14.
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. Tickets for
this year's banquet are $35 each and may be purchased at the
Shoals Chamber of Commerce, or by calling (256) 764-4661.
2002 Harlon Hill Trophy
Finalists
Click on Players Name for Bios, Stats, and
Photographs
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