From the CIAA:
Following regional voting, the Little Rock Touchdown Club, in conjunction with the Great American Conference, revealed the eight finalists for the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy, the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, with Bowie State senior running back Calil Wilkins among those recognized.
Wilkins, a native of Temple Hills, MD, has rushed for a CIAA-leading 1,260 yards so far this season with nine rushing touchdowns. He has also caught 12 balls for 141 yards and a score. Wilkins and the Bowie State Bulldogs made school history with their win last week over Newberry, advancing to their first-ever NCAA Division II quarterfinals. They will face Valdosta State this Saturday at 1 p.m.
The NCAA Division II sports information directors selected the finalists through a round of regional voting. The eight finalists will now be placed on the national ballot where all 181 of the division’s school and conference SIDs will select the award’s 35th winner. The top two players from the four Super Regions advanced to the national ballot. Four quarterbacks, three running backs and one wide receiver comprised the list of 2021 finalists.
Tyson Bagent, a junior quarterback from Shepherd, and Henry Litwin, a senior wide receiver from Slippery Rock, advanced from Super Region #1.
Joining Wilkins in advancing from Super Region #2 is West Florida sophomore quarterback Austin Reed.
From Super Region #3, Nebraska-Kearney junior quarterback TJ Davis and Northwest Missouri State senior running back Al McKeller earned spots on the national ballot.
Bemidji State sophomore quarterback Brandon Alt and Colorado School of Mines senior running back Michael Zeman garnered the two finalist slots from Super Region #4.
Alt and Reed became their respective program’s first-ever Harlon Hill finalists. Litwin followed 2019 Harlon Hill winner Roland Rivers III as a finalist from Slippery Rock. Zeman became the Orediggers’ first finalist since Justin Dvorak won in 2016.
All eight of the finalists helped guide their teams into the 2021 NCAA Division II playoffs and four – Bagent, Wilkins, McKeller and Zeman – will compete in this weekend’s quarterfinal matchups.
The winner of the 2021 award will be announced on Friday, December 17 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet on January 13, 2022.
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.
2021 HARLON HILL TROPHY FINALISTS
Henry Litwin, WR, Slippery Rock
Tyson Bagent, QB, Shepherd
Austin Reed, QB, West Florida
Calil Wilkins, RB, Bowie State
TJ Davis, QB, Nebraska-Kearney
Al McKeller, RB, Northwest Missouri State
Brandon Alt, QB, Bemidji State
Michael Zeman, RB, Colorado School of Mines
