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 2008 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, including three finalists from 2007 and three other players who were candidates last season.
The list of candidates was announced Thursday by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee.

The list includes six players from each of Division II�s four Super Regionals.

Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 154 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 14.

The winner of the 2008 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 23rd annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 12 at the Florence Conference Center at 6:30 p.m. This year�s Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the tenth induction 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 the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764- 4661.

The NCAA Division II Championship Game is scheduled for December 14 at Florence�s Braly Municipal Stadium at noon.

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.

There were 32 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.

The remaining group of 24 candidates includes 13 quarterbacks, five running backs, three receivers, a defensive tackle, a linebacker and a cornerback. There are 17 seniors, six juniors and one sophomore.

Among the players vying for the 2008 award from the Super Regional 1, which includes the Atlantic and East Regions, are senior cornerback Darren Banks of West Liberty (W.V.) College, junior quarterback Trevor Harris of Edinboro (Pa.) University, senior quarterback Kevin McCabe of California University of Pennsylvania, senior receiver Travis Poole of American International (Mass.) College, senior running back Jerry Seymour of Glenville State (W.V.) College and senior receiver Michael Washington of West Chester (Pa.) University. Harris was also a Hill candidate in 2007.

Candidates from Super Regional 2, which includes the South and Southeast Regions, are senior quarterback Jacary Atkinson of Tuskegee (Ala.) University, senior quarterback Cole Barthel of Arkansas Tech University, sophomore Scott Buisson of the University of Arkansas-Monticello, senior quarterback A.J. Milwee of the University of North Alabama, senior linebacker Garry Pack of the University of West Alabama and senior quarterback Corey Russell of Tusculum (Tenn.) College. Milwee was a 2007 Hill finalist, finishing ninth in the national voting.

Super Regional 3, which includes the Central and Midwest Regions, is represented by junior running back Bobby Coy of Mesa State (Colo.) College, junior quarterback Billy Cundiff of Ashland (Ohio) University, junior quarterback Brad Iciek of Grand Valley State (Mich.) University, senior quarterback Joe McLain of Chadron State (Neb.) College, senior quarterback Ted Schlafke of the University of Minnesota- Duluth and senior defensive tackle Jake Visser of Ferris State (Mich.) University. Iciek was a finalist in
2007 and finished seventh in the final voting.

Selected from Super Regional 4, which includes the South Central and West Regions, are junior running back LaRon Council of Northwest Missouri State University, junior quarterback Eric Czerniewski of the University of Central Missouri, senior wide receiver Charly Martin of West Texas A&M University, senior quarterback Mike Reilly of Central Washington University, senior running back Bernard Scott of Abilene Christian (Texas) University and senior tailback Brian McNeil of the University of Nebraska- Omaha. Scott was the 2007 runner-up in the Hill voting, while Reilly and McNeil were also candidates for the award last season.

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�s Jimmy Terwilliger in 2005 and Chadron State�s Danny Woodhead in 2006 and 2007.

2008 Harlon Hill Trophy Candidates

Super Regional 1 Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Darren Banks CB 5-10 188 SR West Liberty Camden, New Jersey

Trevor Harris QB 6-3 210 JR Edinboro Waldo, Ohio

Kevin McCabe QB 6-2 220 SR California, Pa. Gibsonia, Pennsylvania

Travis Poole WR 6-0 190 SR American International Brooklyn, New York

Jerry Seymour RB 5-8 205 SR Glenville State Mairamar, Florida

Michael Washington WR 6-0 190 SR West Chester Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Super Regional 2 Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Jacary Atkinson QB 6-3 210 SR Tuskegee Valley, Alabama

Cole Barthel QB 6-2 215 SR Arkansas Tech Decatur, Alabama

Scott Buisson QB 5-10 175 SO Arkansas-Monticello Metairie, Louisiana

A.J. Milwee QB 5-10 185 SR North Alabama Boaz, Alabama

Garry Pack LB 6-1 230 SR West Alabama Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Corey Russell QB 6-4 190 SR Tusculum Speedwell, Tennessee

Super Regional 3 Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Bobby Coy RB 5-9 170 JR Mesa State Littleton, Colorado

Billy Cundiff QB 6-2 209 JR Ashland Uniontown, Ohio

Brad Iciek QB 6-1 195 JR Grand Valley State Grandville, Michigan

Joe McLain QB 5-9 168 SR Chadron State Chadron, Nebraska

Ted Schlafke QB 6-0 185 SR Minnesota-Duluth Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Jake Visser DT 6-2 275 SR Ferris State Coopersville, Michigan

Super Regional 4 Pos Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

LaRon Council RB 5-10 210 JR Northwest Missouri St. Kansas City, Missouri

Eric Czerniewski QB 6-1 190 JR Central Missouri Montgomery City, Missouri

Charly Martin WR 6-2 210 SR West Texas A&M Farmington, New Mexico

Mike Reilly QB 6-3 212 SR Central Washington Kalispell, Montana

Bernard Scott RB 5-11 200 SR Abilene Christian Vernon, Texas

Brian McNeil TB 5-9 180 SR Nebraska-Omaha Philadelphia, Pennsylvania