Mars Hill’s Randolph Named Harlon Hill Trophy Top-Three Finalist
December 5, 2011
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.
- Courtesy Mars Hill Media Relations
