Randolph named candidate for Harlon Hill Trophy

FLORENCE - Ala. -- Mars Hill senior tailback Jonas Randolph headlines a list of 22 candidates that are in the running for the 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year. The list of candidates was announced Thursday by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee. The list includes six players from Super Regions 1, 2 and 3 and four from Super Region 4.

Through nine games this season, Randolph has 295 carries, 1,738 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. He is averaging 193.1 yards per game on the ground and has 11 receptions for 78 yards in 2011 for a total of 1,816 all-purpose yards. Randolph has helped sparked Mars Hill (No. 23 AFCA, No. 22 D2Football.com) to its best start (7-2) since 1985.

This season, Randolph has been named D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week, Beyond Sports Network Division II National Offensive Player of the Week three times and South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Week five times.

Randolph is the leading rusher in NCAA among all divisions and active career leading rusher in NCAA among all divisions (5,176 yards). He has posted the most carries in a single game in NCAA in 2011 among all divisions (49 vs. Tusculum) and most rushing yards in a single game in NCAA in 2011 among all divisions (373 vs. Tusculum). His 49 carries and 373 yards are both South Atlantic Conference records.

Randolph holds three combined South Atlantic Conference single-game and season rushing records and ranks second in league history in rushing. He holds 23 combined Mars Hill single-game, season, and career rushing and scoring records.

Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 148 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions. The 22 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 19. The winner of the 2011 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 26th annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 16 at the Florence Conference Center at 6:30 p.m. This year's Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the 13th 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 17 at Florence's Braly Municipal Stadium at 10 a.m.

The Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Ala., Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Opti-Net, theMarriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and Herff Jones. Candidates were 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 2011 candidates are six players who were also candidates a year ago. The group of 22 candidates includes 12 quarterbacks, nine running backs and one receiver. There are 16 seniors, five juniors and one sophomore.

Among the players vying for the 2011 award from the Super Regional 1 are senior running back Nic Cooper of Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University, senior wide receiver Trevor Kennedy of Mercyhurst (Pa.) College, junior quarterback Kevin Morton of Kutztown (Pa.) University, senior quarterback Adam Neugebauer of West Virginia Wesleyan University, senior running back Rashaad Slowley of Southern Connecticut State University and senior quarterback Ray Wagner of East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University.

Candidates from Super Regional 2 are Randolph, junior running back David Carter of Morehouse (Ga.) College, senior quarterback Lee Chapple of the University of North Alabama, senior running back Travis Daniels of the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, senior quarterback Micah Davis of Delta State (Miss.) University and senior quarterback Cody Haffly of Wingate (N.C.) University.

Super Regional 3 is represented by junior running back Joe Glendening of Hillsdale (Mich.) College, senior quarterback Clay Garcia of Colorado School of Mines, senior tailback Jesse Lewis of Colorado State University-Pueblo, sophomore quarterback Chris Mills of the University of Indianapolis (Ind.), senior running back Mike Noffsinger of Ohio Dominican University and senior quarterback Jake Spitzlberger of the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Selected from Super Regional 4 are junior quarterback Mitchell Gale of Abilene Christian University, junior quarterback Brandon Kelsey of Midwestern State (Texas) University, senior quarterback Dane Simoneau of Washburn (Kan.) University and junior running back Jonathan Woodson of Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

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 and East Stroudsburg's Jimmy Terwilliger in 2005. The last four Hill Trophies have been won by running backs, beginning with Chadron State's Danny Woodhead in 2006 and 2007. Abilene Christian's Bernard Scott won in 2008, followed by Wayne State (Mich.) running back Joique Bell in 2009 and Central Missouri quarterback Eric Czerniewski in 2010.

Randolph: 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy Candidate

2011 Harlon Hill Trophy Candidates

SUPER REGIONAL 1 Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

Nic Cooper RB 6-0 245 SR Winston-Salem Clinton, N.C.
Trevor Kennedy WR 6-0 200 SR Mercyhurst Akron, Ohio
Kevin Morton QB 6-2 212 JR Kutztown Abington, Pa.
Adam Neugebauer QB 6-2 210 SR West Virginia Wesleyan Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rashaad Slowley RB 6-0 205 SR Southern Connecticut St. Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Ray Wagner QB 6-1 205 SR East Stroudsburg Harrisburg, Pa.

SUPER REGIONAL 2 Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown

David Carter RB 5-10 225 JR Morehouse Marietta, Ga.
Lee Chapple QB 6-1 190 SR North Alabama Alpharetta, Ga.
Travis Daniels RB 5-10 205 SR UNC Pembroke Washington, N.C.
Micah Davis QB 6-2 205 SR Delta State Wesson, Miss.
Cody Haffly QB 6-1 210 SR Wingate Locust Grove, Ga.
Jonas Randolph RB 5-10 185 SR Mars Hill Daleville, Ala.

SUPER REGIONAL 3 Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown
Joe Glendening RB 5-10 188 JR Hillsdale East Grand Rapids. Mich.
Clay Garcia QB 6-0 210 SR Colorado-Mines Alamosa, Colo.
Jesse Lewis TB 5-7 180 SR Colorado-Pueblo Loveland, Colo.
Chris Mills QB 6-4 201 SO Indianapolis Lafayette, Ind.
Mike Noffsinger RB 5-8 160 SR Ohio Dominican West Branch, Mich.
Jake Spitzlberger QB 5-10 175 SR Nebraska-Kearney Lakewood, Colo.

SUPER REGIONAL 4 Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown
Mitchell Gale QB 6-2 220 JR Abilene Christian Alva, Okla.
Brandon Kelsey QB 6-2 203 JR Midwestern State Arlington, Texas
Dane Simoneau QB 6-3 227 SR Washburn Salina, Kansas
Jonathan Woodson RB 5-10 185 JR Texas A&M-Kingsville Missouri City, Texas