LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – University of Central Missouri redshirt junior quarterback
Zach Zebrowski has been named one of nine finalists for the 2023 Harlon Hill Trophy, the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, it was announced Wednesday, Nov. 29, by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and Great American Conference.
The sports information directors at the 161 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The 38 initial candidates were placed on regional ballots with the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions advancing to the national ballot when voting concluded Monday, Nov. 27. A tie in Super Region III resulted in three finalists coming from that region.
The winner is determined by a nation-wide vote of NCAA Division II school and conference SID's. The national voting process will occur Nov. 29 through Dec. 8. The 37th winner in the trophy's history will be announced Friday, Dec. 15, and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club Awards Banquet on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.
Zebrowski, the 2023 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and a unanimous First Team All-MIAA honoree, had a record-breaking season as he helped lead the Mules to an overall record of 11-2 and a MIAA Conference Championship with a conference mark of 9-1. The 11 wins tied for most in program history while the conference title was the 14th in UCM history. Central Missouri advanced to the second round of the NCAA-II Playoffs, marking the fifth playoff appearance in program history.
A native of Woodbury, Minn., Zebrowski set new NCAA Division II records for passing touchdowns (61), total offensive yards (5,690), points responsible for (380) and TDs responsible for (63 - 61 pass, two rush). He also established new UCM and MIAA records for passing touchdowns (8), passing yards (615 yards) and total offense (673 yards) in a single-game in the Mules' 77-27 win over then No. 23-ranked Emporia State Oct. 21.
Zebrowski leads all of NCAA Division II in total offense (437.7 yards per game), passing yards (5,157 yards), passing touchdowns (61), points responsible for (380), points responsible for per game (29.2 points per game) and passing yards per game (396.7 yards per game). He is second in completions per game (32 per game) and passing efficiency (173.0).
If Zebrowski were to win the award, he would become the second UCM football player to earn the honor, as former Central Missouri quarterback Eric Czerniewski received the accolade in 2010.
The Harlon Hill Trophy is named for the late Harlon Hill - the former University of North Alabama (UNA) standout - who excelled with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears.
For more information on
Zach Zebrowski please visit
UCMAthletics.com/Zebrowski.
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