FOR RELEASE


Friday,  November 9


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


FLORENCE - Ala. -- A total of 24 candidates are in the running for the 2007 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, including the 2006 winner. 
The list of candidates was announced Sunday by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee.
The list includes five players each from the Southeast,  six from the Southwest and Northeast and seven from the Northwest region. 
Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 150  NCAA Division II 
football-playing institutions. The 24 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 16.


The winner of the 2007 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 22nd annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 14 at the Florence Conference Center at 6:30 p.m. This year's Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the ninth induction  into the Division II Football Hall of Fame. 


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


The NCAA Division II Championship Game is scheduled for December 15 at Florence's Braly Municipal Stadium at 11 a.m.


The Hill Trophy is sponsored by Coca-Cola, the City of Florence, Ala., Trustmark Construction, Opti-Net, Herff Jones and the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa.


There were more than 30 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 2007 award from the Southwest region is the 2006 winner - senior running back Danny Woodhead of Chadron State College.  Woodhead is trying to become just the third student-athlete to win the Hill Trophy more than once. Texas A&M-Kingsville running back Johnny Bailey won the Hill Trophy in 1987, 1988 and 1989, and Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner won the award in 2000 and 2001.


The Northeast Region candidates are junior quarterback  Steve Armstrong  of Southern Connecticut State, senior running back Jamar Brittingham of Bloomsburg, junior defensive end Kirby Griffin of California University of Pennsylvania,  sophomore quarterback Trevor Harrisof Edinboro, senior wide receiver Elfren Quiles of Kutztown and senior running back Dervon Wallace of Shepherd. Brittingham finished third in the 2005 Hill voting. 


Southeast Region candidates include senior linebacker Michael Eubanks of Delta State, sophomore receiver Cedric Jones of  Valdosta State, junior quarterback David Knighton of Harding, junior quarterback Lamar Little of Virginia Union and junior quarterback A.J. Milwee of North Alabama.


Candidates from the Northwest Region are sophomore running back Joique Bell of Wayne State, senior receiver Weston Dressler of North Dakota, sophomore quarterback Brad Iciek of Grand Valley State, senior quarterback Ben King of Minnesota State Mankato, junior tailback Brian McNeill of Nebraska-Omaha, senior quarterback Mark Nicolet of Hillsdale and junior quarterback Mike Reilly of Central Washington.  


The list of Southwest Region candidates includes senior receiver Ashton Gronewoldof Missouri-Rolla, junior quarterback Keith Null of West Texas A&M, senior running back Xavier Omonof Northwest Missouri State, senior quarterback Daniel Polk of Midwestern State, junior running back Bernard Scott of Abilene Christian and senior 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 became the first and so far only defensive player to win the award in 1995, followed by Truman State running back Jarrett Anderson in 1996, Bloomsburg University running back Irvin Sigler in 1997, Emporia State running back Brian Shay in 1998 and Northern Colorado quarterback Corte McGuffey in 1999.
The award had its second two-time winner when Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner claimed the Hill Trophy in 2000 and 2001.
Grand Valley State quarterback Curt Anes won the Hill Trophy in 2002, followed by North Alabama quarterback Will Hall in 2003, Colorado School of Mines quarterback Chad Friehauf in 2004, East Stroudsburg quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger in 2005 and Woodhead in 2006. 


2007 Harlon Hill Trophy Candidates


Northeast         Pos Ht Wt Cl School         Hometown


Steve Armstrong QB 6-2 225 JR S. Connecticut St. Nutley, N.J.

Jamar Brittingham RB 6-0 203 SR Bloomsburg         Levittown, Pa.

Kirby Griffin         DE 6-2 275 JR California, Pa. Rochester, Pa.

Trevor Harris QB 6-3 205 SO Edinboro         Waldo, Ohio

Elfren Quiles WR 6-2 205 SR Kutztown         New Britain, Conn.

Dervon Wallace RB 5-6 177 SR Shepherd         Lusby, Md.


Southeast         Pos Ht Wt Cl School         Hometown


Michael Eubanks LB 6-2 225 SR Delta State         Cleveland, Miss. 

Cedric Jones         WR 6-0 180 SO Valdosta State Waycross, Ga.

David Knighton QB 6-1 225 JR Harding         Seminole, Okla.

Lamar Little         QB 5-11 204 JR Virginia Union Candor, N.C.

A.J. Milwee         QB 6-0 200 SR North Alabama Boaz, Ala.


Northwest         Pos Ht Wt Cl School         Hometown


Joique Bell         RB 6-0 215 SO Wayne State         Benton Harbor, Mich.

Weston Dressler WR 5-8 165 SR North Dakota Bismarck, N.D.

Brad Iciek         QB 6-1 190 SO Grand Valley State Grandville, Mich.

Ben King         QB 6-1 215 SR Minnesota-Mankato Marshfield, Wisc. 

Brian McNeill TB 5-9 180 JR Nebraska-Omaha Philadelphia, Pa.

Mark Nicolet         QB 6-2 220 SR Hillsdale         Zionsville, Ind.

Mike Reilly         QB 6-4 212 JR Central Washington
Kalispell, Mont.


Southwest         Pos Ht Wt Cl School         Hometown


Ashton Gronewold WR 5-10 190 SR Missouri-Rolla Carthage, Ill.

Keith Null         QB 6-4 220 JR West Texas A&M Lampasas, Texas

Xavier Omon         RB 5-11 220 SR NW Missouri State Beatrice, Neb. 

Daniel Polk         QB 6-2 202 SR Midwestern State Dallas, Texas

Bernard Scott RB 5-11 220 JR Abilene Christian Vernon, Texas

Danny Woodhead TB 5-9 200 SR Chadron State North Platte, Neb.