TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn senior quarterback Dane Simoneau has been named one of nine finalists for the 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year after regional voting and now moves on to the national ballot. The Ichabods will face Pittsburg State this weekend in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.

Dane Simoneau has started the last 40 games going 28-12 as the Ichabod starting quarterback. He has passed for a school-record 11,075 yards, which ranks 13th all-time in NCAA Division II. He has averaged 263.7 yards per game in his career passing which is also top on the school chart. Simoneau has thrown for a school-record 100 touchdowns, which is 17th all-time in NCAA Division II. Simoneau has completed 58.7 percent of his career passing attempts. He is second on the MIAA's career total passing chart throwing for at least 300 yards in a game 19 times and for 400 yards two times including the 52-49 NCAA playoff win over Abilene Christian on Nov. 19. He has recorded 10,939 career total offensive yards which is first on the all-time chart Washburn chart and second on the MIAA's career total offense chart. Simoneau trails only former Mules quarterback Eric Czerniewski on the MIAA's passing (12,847) and total offense chart (12,978) all-time in the MIAA history.

Release from the Harlon Hill Committee

FLORENCE, Ala. -- A field of 22 candidates has been trimmed to nine national finalists in regional voting for the 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year. The finalists were selected by the NCAA Division II sports information directors in regional voting and will now be placed on the national ballot where all 149 of the division's SIDs will select the award's 26th winner. The top two players from each of Division II's Super Regions advance to the national ballot, but three players advanced from Region 2 due to a tie in the voting. The list of 2011 finalists is comprised of six quarterbacks and three running backs.

Six of the finalists helped lead their teams into the NCAA Division II playoffs this season and one of this weekend's second round playoff matchups will have Hill finalists facing each other. Advancing from Super Region 1 are senior quarterback Adam Neugebauer of West Virginia Wesleyan and senior running back Rashaad Slowley of Southern Connecticut State. Super Region 2 is represented by senior quarterback Lee Chapple of the University of North Alabama, senior quarterback Micah Davis of Delta State (Miss.) University and senior running back Jonas Randolph of Mars Hill (N.C.) College.

Chapple and Davis will face each other in this weekend's Super Region 2 second round playoff game, while Randolph will lead his team against North Greenville in the second round.

The top vote getters in Super Region 3 are Hillsdale (Mich.) College junior running back Joe Glendening and University of Nebraska-Kearney senior quarterback Jake Spitzlberger.

Advancing from Super Region 4 are junior quarterback Brandon Kelsey of Midwestern State (Texas) University and senior quarterback Dane Simoneau of Washburn University.

National voting will conclude on December 2 and the top three finishers will be 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 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.

2011 Harlon Hill Trophy Finalists
Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown
Lee Chapple QB 6-1 190 SR North Alabama Alpharetta, Ga.
Micah Davis QB 6-2 205 SR Delta State Wesson, Miss.
Joe Glendening RB 5-10 188 JR Hillsdale East Grand Rapids. Mich.
Brandon Kelsey QB 6-2 203 JR Midwestern State Arlington, Texas
Adam Neugebauer QB 6-2 210 SR West Virginia Wesleyan Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jonas Randolph RB 5-10 185 SR Mars Hill Daleville, Ala.
Dane Simoneau QB 6-3 227 SR Washburn Salina, Kansas
Rashaad Slowley RB 6-0 205 SR Southern Connecticut St. Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Jake Spitzlberger QB 5-10 175 SR Nebraska-Kearney Lakewood, Colo.

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