Mars Hill’s Jonas Randolph Wins 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy
Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph, who broke both the SAC regular-season and career rushing yards records in 2011, has won the Harlon Hill Trophy, which recognizes the top player in Division II football.
FLORENCE, Ala. - Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph, who broke both the SAC regular-season and career rushing yards records in 2011, has won the Harlon Hill Trophy, which recognizes the top player in Division II football.
Randolph received 120 total points and held a slim three-point margin over Washburn (Kan.) University's Dane Simoneau in the closest voting in the 26-year history of the award.
Delta State University senior quarterback Micah Davis was third with 101 points.
The award winner is determined in voting by the Division II sports information directors and was presented in front of a crowd of 400 at the 26th annual Harlon Hill Trophy award banquet at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center.
The Harlon Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Opti-Net, Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and Herff Jones.
Randolph, a senior from Daleville, Ala., received 19 first-place votes in the balloting as a record six players were first on 10 or more ballots. Randolph is the fifth running back to win the award in the last six years and is the first winner in the award's history from the South Atlantic Conference.
He 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 and led all NCAA divisions this season in rushing yards per game (197.27).
The SAC Offensive Player of the Year, Randolph's 2,170 yards in 2011 also set new SAC and school marks. He also had 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 2 honoree and was the Super Region 2 Offensive Player of the Year this season.
Randolph finished the year with 2,170 yards rushing on a Division II-leading 366 carries and scored 18 touchdowns. He averaged more than 37 yards per game more than the next closest Division II rusher.
Following Randolph, Simoneau and Davis in the voting were junior quarterback Brandon Kelsey of Midwestern (Texas) State (88 points), senior quarterback Adam Neugebauer of West Virginia Wesleyan (78), senior quarterback Adam Spitzlberger of Nebraska Kearney (65), junior running back Joe Glendening of Hillsdale (29), senior running back Rashaad Slowley of Southern Connecticut State (25) and senior quarterback Lee Chapple of North Alabama (15).
- Courtesy Harlon Hill Trophy Committee