Mars Hill’s Randolph Named Harlon Hill Trophy Top-Three Finalist

FLORENCE, Ala. -- Voting has concluded for the 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy, and while final results won't be announced until December 16, Mars Hill tailback Jonas Randolph is among the top-three vote getters and has been invited to attend the award presentation banquet.

The Harlon Hill Trophy recognizes the top player in NCAA Division II football. Randolph is the first-ever South Atlantic Conference player to finish in the top three for the award.

"Jonas is very deserving of this honor," head coach Tim Clifton stated. "A guy that rushes for over 2,000 yards in a single season definitely deserves the opportunity to be one of the three finalist for the Harlon Hill award. It is a tribute to Jonas and how hard he plays, as well as a tribute to Mars Hill College and the South Atlantic Conference. I am very proud of what Jonas has accomplished."

Randolph, a senior from Daleville, Ala., led Mars Hill to its first postseason game since becoming an NCAA Division II member while also re-writing the Lions' record books. He became the South Atlantic Conference's career rushing leader with 5,608 yards. He led all NCAA divisions in rushing yards per game (197.27) and was the SAC Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career. His 2,170 rushing yards in 2011 also set new SAC and school marks. Randolph posted six games of 200 or more rushing yards and nine games of over 100 rushing yards this season. He is a three-time first team All-Super Region Two honoree and was the region's Offensive Player of the Year this season.

Randolph finished the year with a Division II-leading 366 carries and scored 18 touchdowns. He averaged 37 more rushing yards per game than the next closest Division II rusher.

In the history of voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the SAC has had four fourth-place finishers, one fifth-place finisher and one 6th-place finisher. Most recently, Tusculum quarterback Bo Cordell was named a finalist for the award in 2010.

Senior quarterback Micah Davis of Delta State (Miss.) and and senior quarterback Dane Simoneau of the Washburn (Kan.) have emerged as the other top vote-getters from a field of nine finalists in voting by the sports information directors at the 149 schools that compete in Division II football.

Davis, a senior from Wesson, Miss., has led Delta State to an 11-2 record this season and into the Dec. 10 NCAA Division II semifinal playoff game at Pittsburg State. He also led the Statesmen to the 2010 Division II Championship Game. This season he has thrown for 3,423 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for another 13 scores to also lead the Statesmen in scoring. He is ranked among the Division II national leaders in passing and total offense and has led four dramatic fourth quarter comebacks this season to keep Delta State in contention for the national championship. He has thrown for more than 7,500 career yards and has almost 8,000 yards of career total offense.

Off the field, he has been named a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete, receiving an $18,000 post graduate scholarship.

Simoneau, a senior from Salina, Kan., led Washburn to a 10-3 record and into the second round of the 2011 Division II playoffs. The 2011 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Offensive Player of the Year, Simoneau set eight Washburn records this season passing for 4,089 yards, completing 280 of 482 passing attempts with 38 touchdowns. He also set a school record with 4,062 total offensive yards. He ranks second nationally in total passing yards and fourth in the nation with an average of 314.5 passing yards per game. He is also fourth nationally in total offense with 312 yards per outing.

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. Candidates for the 2011 Hill Trophy were 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.

National voting concluded on December 2 and the top three finishers are invited to the Shoals for the presentation banquet. The winner of the 2011 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Football Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, December 16 in Florence, prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game on Dec. 17. The banquet will include the induction of coaches Coach Bill Burgess of Jacksonville State (Ala.) University and Fred McAfee of Mississippi College into the Division II Football Hall of Fame.