LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A total of 37 student-athletes from across the nation have been nominated for the 2018 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II College Football Player of the Year.
Nine nominees hail from Super Region 1, nine from Super Region 2, eight from Super Region 3 and 11 from Super Region 4.
The sports information directors at the 166 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The 37 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 Monday, Nov. 26.
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The winner of the 2018 award will be announced on Friday, Dec. 14 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet on Jan. 10, 2019.
The #GSCFB Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year have been nominated for the Harlon Hill Trophy! Congratulations to J.T. and Rogan! pic.twitter.com/3JmZGdhLhc
— Gulf South Conference (@GulfSouth) November 19, 2018
The sports information directors at their respective schools initially nominate candidates. The SIDs in those Super Regions vote for their top five candidates. The winner is then determined in a nation-wide vote of the Division II sports information directors.
The group of 37 candidates includes 13 quarterbacks, nine running backs, eight wide receivers, three defensive ends, three linebackers and one defensive back.
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There list features 21 seniors, 10 juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen. One nominee — Bowie State’s Amir Hall, in 2017 — previously advanced to the finalist stage.
The Hill Trophy is named for the late Harlon Hill — the former University of North Alabama standout — who excelled with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears.
The nominees are listed below by region:
| super regional 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAME | POSITION | SCHOOL | CLASS | HOMETOWN |
|
Tyson Bagent |
QB |
Shepherd |
Fr. |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Cory Contini |
WR |
Ohio Dominican |
Sr. |
Dover, Ohio |
|
Ashton Dulin |
WR/RS |
Malone |
Sr. |
Reynoldsburg, Ohio |
|
Walter Fletcher |
RB |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Columbia, Maryland |
|
Josh Gontarek |
WR |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Mount Airy, Maryland |
|
Jaleel McLaughlin |
RB |
Notre Dame College |
Fr. |
Marshville, North Carolina |
|
Lamont McPhatter II |
DB |
California (PA) |
Jr. |
New Castle, Pennsylvania |
|
Ajee Patterson |
QB |
New Haven |
Sr. |
Neptune, New Jersey |
|
Chance Stewart |
QB |
Hillsdale |
Sr. |
Sturgis, Michigan |
| super regionAL 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | POSITION | SCHOOL | CLASS | HOMETOWN |
|
Kevin Greenhow |
WR |
Central State |
Jr. |
Columbus, Ohio |
|
Amir Hall |
QB |
Bowie State |
Sr. |
Bowie, Maryland |
|
J.T. Hassell |
LB |
Florida Tech |
Sr. |
Titusville, Florida |
|
Jamarcus Henderson |
DE |
Newberry |
Sr. |
Union, South Carolina |
|
Cardell Rawlings |
DE |
Wingate |
Sr. |
Smithfield, North Carolina |
|
Craig Rucker |
WR |
Mars Hill |
Jr. |
Orlando, Florida |
|
Rogan Wells |
QB |
Valdosta State |
So. |
Fort Mill, South Carolina |
|
Antonio Wimbush |
RB |
Carson-Newman |
Jr. |
Kingsland, Georgia |
|
Bryce Witt |
QB |
Chowan |
So. |
Sutherland, Virginia |
| super regionAL 3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | position | school | class | hometown |
|
Jayru Campbell |
QB |
Ferris State |
Jr. |
Detroit, Michigan |
|
Ka’Ronce Higgins |
WR |
Southern Arkansas |
Sr. |
Searcy, Arkansas |
|
Cody Leonard |
LB |
Quincy |
Sr. |
Carrolton, Illinois |
|
Braxton Marstall |
QB |
Emporia State |
Sr. |
Emporia, Kansas |
|
Jake Mayon |
RB |
Northern Michigan |
Sr. |
Plainfield, Illinois |
|
Al McKeller |
RB |
Indianapolis |
So. |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
|
Kyrion Parker |
WR |
Central Missouri |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
Bart Williams |
QB |
Grand Valley State |
Sr. |
Grand Blanc, Michigan |
| super regional 4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | position | school | class | hometown |
|
Xavier Turner |
RB |
Tarleton State |
Sr. |
North Richland Hills, Texas |
|
Bo Highburger |
LB |
Western Oregon |
Sr. |
Veneta, Oregon |
|
Nate Gunn |
RB |
Minnesota State |
Jr. |
Minooka, Illinois |
|
Markus Jones |
DE |
Angelo State |
Sr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
|
Gabriel Watson |
RB |
Sioux Falls |
Jr. |
Piedmont, California |
|
Cameron Mayberry |
RB |
Colorado School of Mines |
Jr. |
Stillwater, Oklahoma |
|
Kyle Saddler |
QB |
Augustana |
So. |
Frisco, Texas |
|
Jake Sullivan |
QB |
South Dakota Mines |
Sr. |
Rapid City, South Dakota |
|
Reilly Hennessey |
QB |
Central Washington |
Sr. |
Camas, Washington |
|
Layton Rabb |
QB |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Llano, Texas |
|
Chad Hovasse |
WR |
Adams State |
Sr. |
Colorado Springs, Colorado |
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