The top two players from each of the Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest regions advanced through regional 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 152 of the division's SIDs will select the award's 21st winner.

The list of 2006 finalists is comprised of four running backs, three quarterbacks, one defensive lineman.  Six of the finalists helped lead their teams into the NCAA Division II playoffs this season and three of the eight finalists were also Hill finalists in 2005.

Advancing from the Northeast region are 2005 Hill Trophy winner Jimmy Terwilliger, quarterback at East Stroudsburg University, and running back Lorenzo Perry of Bryant College.  Finalists from the Southeast region are quarterback Scott Eyster of Delta State University and Albany State University defensive lineman Alton Pettway. Quarterback Cullen Finnerty of Grand Valley State University and running back Stefan Logan of the University of South Dakota advanced from the Northwest region, and tailback Danny Woodhead of Charon State College and tailback Germaine Race of Pittsburg State Universitywere selected from the Southwest region.

The Hill Trophy is sponsored by Coca-Cola, the City of Florence, Ala., Trustmark Construction, TNT Fireworks, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and Opti-Net. Candidates for the 2006 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 will conclude on December 1 and the top three finishers will be invited to the Shoals for the presentation banquet. The winner of the 2006 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 15 in Florence, prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game on Dec. 10.

Tickets are $45 each or $360 for a table of eight and can be purchased by calling the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661.

Eyster, a senior from Hammond, La., is one of the most prolific passers in Division II history. During his career he has thrown for more than 12,000 yards and 100 touchdowns and this season he ranks 10th in the nation in total offense (258.2) and 11th nationally in passing efficiency (156.9).

His team is also 10-2 and in the second round of the Division II playoffs.
 

Finnerty, a senior from Brighton, Michigan, has led his team to a perfect 11-0 record and No. 1 ranking this season, while also leading the country in passing efficiency. He has completed 196 of 331 passes for 2,821 yards and 28 touchdowns.

He has been intercepted only three times. He also ranks 28th nationally in total offense with 225.6 yards per game. During his career he has led Grand Valley State to two national championships and his 45 career wins as a starter makes him one of the winningest quarterbacks in college football history.
 

Logan, a senior from Miami, Fla., is ranked nationally in four categories and has also helped South Dakota move into the second round of the Division II playoffs.

He ranks third in Division II in all-purpose yards (203.3), eighth in rushing (132.0), ninth in kickoff returns (28.0) and 29th in scoring (7.1). He has 194 carries this season for 1,452 yards and nine touchdowns.
 

Perry, a senior from Providence, R.I., helped Bryant earn its first-ever Division II playoff berth by rushing for 179.2 yards per game and scoring two touchdowns per contest.

He ranks third in the nation in rushing, fourth in scoring and fourth in all-purpose yards (193.5). Perry has carried the ball 252 times for 1,792 yards and 19 TDs and averages better than seven yards per carry.
  

Pettway, a senior from Bay Minette, Ala., helped lead Albany State into the Division II playoffs this season while racking up some impressive defensive statistics of his own.

He led Division II in quarterback sacks with 14.5 for 103 yards in losses and was third nationally in tackles for loss with 21.5 for 134 yards in losses. He also forced three fumbles to rank 30th in Division II in that category. He has 53 total tackles this season.
 

Race, a senior from Warrensburg, Mo., finished fourth in the Hill Trophy voting in 2005 and is among the Division II leaders in three categories this season. He has carried the ball 277 times for 1,761 yards and has scored 27 rushing touchdowns.

His 160.1 rushing average places him fifth in Division II and he is eighth in all-purpose yards with 165.3 per game. Race is second nationally in scoring with 14.9 points per game.
 

Terwilliger, a senior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., won the 2005 Hill Trophy and is trying to become just the third two-time winner of the award. This season he has thrown for 2,966 yards and 35 touchdowns with jsut seven interceptions in 346 pass attempts.

He ranks second in Division II in total offense with 315.5 yards per game, and is fifth in passing efficiency with a 165.5 rating.
 

Woodhead, a junior from North Platte, Neb., is a Hill candidate for the third straight season and a finalist for the first time. His incredible season has him leading Division II in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yards, while also leading Chadron to an unbeaten record and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Woodhead has carried the ball 293 times for 2,488 yards and 31 touchdowns. He averages 226.2 rushing yards per game, 254.8 all-purpose yards and 17.5 points.

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.  Terwilliger claimed the 2005 Hill Trophy as a junior.




2006 HARLON HILL TROPHY FINALISTS
Finalist Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown
Scott Eyster QB 6-3 205 SR Delta State Hammond, La.
Cullen Finnerty QB 6-2 210 SR Grand Valley State
Brighton, Mich.
Stefan Logan RB 5-7 185 SR South Dakota Miami, Fla.
Alton Pettway DL 6-3 258 SR Albany State Bay
Minette, Ala.
Lorenzo Perry RB 5-6 185 SR Bryant Providence, R.I.
Germaine Race TB 5-11 225 SR Pittsburg State
Warrensburg, Mo.
Jimmy Terwilliger QB 6-0 172 SR East Stroudsburg
East Stroudsburg, Penn.
Danny Woodhead TB 5-9 200 JR Chadron State North
Platte, Neb.