Voting closed
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Mount Union's Kevin Burke was the first repeat winner.
Photo by Eric Kelley, d3photography.com |
The 10 semifinalists for the 2015 Gagliardi Trophy have been announced, releasing the names on the ballot in voting for Division III football's top student-athlete. The winner will be announced in Salem, with four finalists present for the ceremony. The ceremony, which takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 16, will be aired live by D3sports.com.
Each of the past two years, Mount Union quarterback Kevin Burke brought home the trophy, becoming the first repeat winner. The award is named for legendary St. John's coach John Gagliardi, who retired in 2012 after 64 years as a collegiate head coach.
The initial list of candidates included six quarterbacks, four wide receivers, three running backs, two offensive linemen, one defensive lineman, one linebacker and one safety.
After screening the nominations, the SJU J-Club Board of Directors narrowed the field to 10 finalists. The 40-member Gagliardi Trophy national selection committee reviews the credentials, ranks the candidates 1-10 and casts their votes. Fan balloting, which is available on D3football.com, accounts for the 41st ballot, and is being conducted on D3football.com for the eighth consecutive year. Fans will be permitted to cast one ballot per device, through 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 7.
In its message to the voting panel, the Gagliardi Trophy administration reminded voters: "The Gagliardi Trophy is a football award but incorporates the philosophy of the well-rounded student-athlete." The award is presented by Jostens and the J-Club of St. John's University of Minnesota.
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Joe Callahan
Wesley senior quarterback; Absecon, N.J.
Led Division III in five categories: passing efficiency (196.0), passing touchdowns (43), passing yards (3,809), points responsible for per game (29.6) and total offense (410.6 ypg.). ... recorded nine games of 300 passing yards or more, including four of more than 400. ... 2014 Gagliardi Trophy finalist. ... active volunteer at the annual Wesley SAAC Food Drive for the Food Bank of Delaware. ... also participated with the Boys and Girls Club and Read Across America.
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Alex Kocheff
Mount Union senior safety; Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Tied for the team-lead in tackles (50) on Division III’s top defense statistically (3.4 ppg., 136.3 ypg). ... organized and managed Raider Buddies program where football student-athletes read to and mentored elementary students. ... also volunteered with Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser for domestic violence, Be The Match bone marrow drive, Habitat for Humanity and Relay for Life.
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Kodie McNamara
Gettysburg senior linebacker; Manasquan, N.J.
Started all 40 games in his career. ... led the Bullets’ defense in tackles each of the past three seasons. ... finished third, among active career leaders, with 396 tackles. ... two-time Academic All-District honoree. ... co-founder of the Cure Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy theme house in 2013. ... raised money as member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, of which he is the scholarship chair. ... serves as a math tutor.
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Matt Pawlowski
Guilford senior quarterback; Greensboro, N.C.
Finished second in Division III in passing touchdowns (39) and was fifth in passing yards (3,333). ... was sixth in both passing efficiency (180.5) and points responsible for per game (23.8). ... set school and conference records for passing total offense and passing yards in a game. ... 2014 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist. ... volunteers weekly during the offseason mentoring students with academic or behavioral challenges. ... also served as a motivational speaker to local youth teams and volunteered with Relay for Life.
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Jessie Ramos
Hardin-Simmons senior receiver/kick returner; Stamford, Texas
Finished as the Division III leader in punt-return average (19.4) and receiving yards (1,443). ... fifth in all-purpose yardage (189.2 ypg.) and entered the postseason second in active career all-purpose yards. ... set school records for all-purpose yards in a season and career kick-return yards. ... volunteered with Special Olympics and the Reading Cowboy program. ... mentors teens at nearby Craig Middle School.
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Logan Schrader
Wartburg senior quarterback; Kildeer, Ill.
Two-time IIAC Offensive Player of the Year. ... 2015 preseason All-American. ... ended his career as the school’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes. ... 2014 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist. ... volunteered with Special Olympics’ Unified Sports Day. ... is an active volunteer at the Bremwood Lutheran Children’s Home in Waverly, Iowa.
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David Simmet
St. Thomas senior tackle; Stillwater, Minn.
Starting right tackle on an offense that led Division III in scoring (56.4 ppg.), finished third in total offense (564.8 ypg.) and fourth in first downs (274). ... the Tommies allowed nine sacks and punted 12 times, including two three-and-outs by the starting offense, during the regular season. ... .2014 Academic All-American and 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. ... collected money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. ... involved with community clean-up and Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF). ... active with Feed My Starving Children and Special Olympics, as well as his home parish.
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Matt Snebold
Wheaton senior tackle; Onalaska, Wis.
Has not allowed a quarterback sack the past two seasons. ... 2015 preseason All-American. ... leading lineman in an offense that finished 24th in Division III in total offense (481.2 ypg.) and 28th in rushing offense (241.4 ypg.). ... 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. ... has worked with the Ross K. MacNeill Foundation, which raises money for pediatric brain cancer research. ... participated in a mission trip to the Dominican Republic.
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Sam Sura
St. John's senior running back; South St. Paul, Minn.
Ended the regular season fourth in Division III in rushing touchdowns (23) and average yards per carry (5.83), among backs with 250 carries or more. ... school’s record-holder in career rushing attempts and entered the postseason one rushing touchdown and 41 rushing yards away from those school records. ... 2014 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist. ... volunteers with Feed My Starving Children and collected money for Tackle Cancer and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Dayton Winn
Hendrix junior running back; Pea Ridge, Ark.
Led Division III in all-purpose yards (252.7 ypg.). ... finished second in rushing yards (1,640) and third in rushing yards per game (164.0). ... recorded 437 all-purpose yards at Centre Oct. 3. ... volunteers with Activate Men, an on-campus service that escorts female students when walking alone on campus. ... provides leadership in Remnant Youth Ministries in Rogers, Ark., as well as Seven Hills Church in Fayetteville, Ark.
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