football-d2 flag

NCAA.com | December 24, 2018

Washburn University's Corey Ballentine wins Cliff Harris Award

A deflection TD catch like you've never seen in DII Championship game

 LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – Corey Ballentine, senior defensive back from Division II Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas was selected as the winner of the 2018 Cliff Harris Award presented annually by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings, LLP. The award honors the nation’s small college defensive player of the year representing Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities.

More than 5,000 defensive players from approximately 500 colleges are eligible to win the award. The $3,000 Cliff Harris Trophy will be presented by Cliff Harris at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet on January 10. Special guest speaker for the banquet is former Heisman Trophy winner, Super Bowl MVP and ESPN College Game Day analyst Desmond Howard.

RELATED: Here are the 11 craziest numbers from the record-breaking 2018 DII football championship

The 6’0 195 pounder from Topeka, Kansas was an AFCA All-American cornerback in 2018 for the Ichabods and became one of the top kick returners, kick blockers and track sprinters in Washburn history. Ballentine will play in the 2019 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama on January 26, 2019.

The Cliff Harris Award recognizes the top vote recipients from all three divisions.

Division II & overall winner – COREY BALLENTINE, 6’0 180, Senior defensive back, Washburn University

Division III – TIE – NICK GIORGIO, 6’1 250, Senior defensive end, Springfield College and JAVON MUHAMMAD, 6’1 210 – Senior defensive lineman, MacMurray College

NAIA – TIE – CURT BOEKE, 6’5 265, Senior defensive lineman, Dakota State and SHAQ BRADFORD, 6’0 220 – Junior defensive end, Kansas Wesleyan

The 11 most played rivalries in DII football history

South Dakota School of Mines and Black Hills State faced off yet again in their long history, making it the most played rivalry in DII football. Here's the complete list.
READ MORE

Subscribe To Email Updates

Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners