TWENTY SIX CANDIDATES VIE FOR HILL TROPHY AS NCAA DIVISION II FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

FLORENCE - Ala. -- A total of 26 candidates are in the running for the 2004 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, including six players who were candidates last season.  The list of candidates was announced by the
National Harlon Hill Award Committee Voting Coordinator Dee Corum.

The list includes six players each from the Southeast and Northeast regions and seven from the Northeast and Southwest regions.  Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 150 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions. The 26 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on November 15.  The winner of the 2004 award, which is presented by
the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 19th annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 10 at the Florence Conference Center at 6:30 p.m. This year's Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the sixth
induction into the Division II Football Hall of Fame.  Tickets are $35 each or $280 for a table of eight and can be purchased by calling the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661.  The NCAA Division II Championship Game is scheduled for December 11 at Florence's Braly Municipal Stadium at 3 p.m.  The Hill Trophy is sponsored by Coca-Cola, the City of Florence, Ala., and Trustmark Construction.

There were 40 candidates initially 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.

Among the players vying for the 2004 award are Northeast region candidates, junior running back Antoine Bagwell of California (Pa.), junior tailback Andre Burke of Edinboro, senior quarterback Marc Eddy of Bentley (Mass.), senior fullback John Kuhn of Shippensburg, senior running back Chris Moore of Charleston and sophomore quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger of East Stroudsburg.

Southeast region candidates include senior quarterback Cory Allred of Arkansas-Monticello, senior defensive lineman Walter Curry of Albany State, senior wide receiver Ellis Debrow of Delta State, senior linebacker Chris Peavy of Shaw, senior quarterback Luke Samples of Catawba and senior halfback Derrick Wimbush of Fort Valley State.

Candidates from the Northwest region are junior running back Matt Birkel of St. Cloud State, senior wide receiver Dustin Creager of Humboldt State, sophomore tailback Lee Marana of Michigan Tech, senior quarterback Mark Radlinksi of Saginaw Valley State, senior receiver Chris Samp of Winona State, junior running back Sean Treasure of Minnesota State-Mankato and senior quarterback Darmel Whitfield of Gannon.

Southwest region candidates are junior quarterback Justin Allgood of Central Oklahoma, senior quarterback Drew Beard of Southeastern Oklahoma State, senior quarterback Chad Friehauf of Colorado School of Mines, senior quarterback Neal Philpot of Pittsburg State, senior wide receiver Jamaica Rector of Northwest Missouri State, senior quarterback Daniel Taylor of Texas A&M-Kingsville and freshman tailback Danny Woodhead of Chadron State.

North Dakota State quarterback Jeff Bentrim won the initial Hill Trophy in 1986, followed by three-time winner - Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) running back 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, Valdosta State quarterback Chris Hatcher in 1994, North Alabama linebacker Ronald McKinnon in 1995, Truman State running back Jarrett Anderson in 1996, Bloomsburg University 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, Grand Valley State quarterback Curt Anes in 2002 and North Alabama quarterback Will Hall in 2003.


2004 Harlon Hill Trophy Candidates

Northeast Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Antoine Bagwell RB 5-11 185 JR California (Pa.) Lansing, Mich.
Andre Burke TB 5-10 205 JR Edinboro Wilkinsburg, Penn.
Marc Eddy QB 6-3 230 SR Bentley Southboro, Mass.
John Kuhn FB 6-1 247 SR Shippensburg York, Penn.
Chris Moore RB 6-0 230 SR Charleston York, Penn.
Jimmy Terwilliger QB 5-11 190 SO East Stroudsburg East Stroudsburg, Penn.

Southeast Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Cory Allred QB 5-11 175 SR Arkansas-Monticello Lancaster, Calif.
Walter Curry DL 6-4 268 SR Albany State Crescent City, Fla.
Ellis Debrow WR 6-3 225 SR Delta State Pensacola, Fla.
Chris Peavy LB 6-2 235 SR Shaw Syracuse, NY
Luke Samples QB 6-3 235 SR Catawba Elkin, NC
Derrick Wimbush HB 6-2 220 SR Fort Valley State Mauk, Ga.

Northwest Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Matt Birkel RB 5-9 210 JR St. Cloud State Ellsworth, Wis.
Dustin Creager WR 6-1 198 SR Humboldt State Mission Viejo, Calif.
Lee Marana TB 5-11 200 SO Michigan Tech Ishpeming, Mich.
Mark Radlinski QB 6-2 228 SR Saginaw Valley State Grand Rapids, Mich.
Chris Samp WR 6-3 215 SR Winona State Algoma, Wis.
Sean Treasure RB 6-1 185 JR Minnesota - Mankato, Baldwin, NY
Darmel Whitfield QB 5-11 180 SR Gannon Buffalo, NY

Southwest Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Justin Allgood QB 6-2 195 JR Central Oklahoma The Colony, Texas
Drew Beard QB 5-10 175 SR SE Oklahoma State Rush Springs, Okla.
Chad Friehauf QB 6-7 210 SR Colorado- Mines Brush, Colo.
Neal Philpot QB 6-4 254 SR Pittsburg State Norton, Kan.
Jamaica Rector WR 5-10 182 SR NW Missouri State Celeste, Texas
Daniel Taylor QB 6-1 200 SR Texas A&M-Kingsville Manteca, Calif.
Danny Woodhead TB 5-8 185 FR Chadron State North Platte, Neb.