(Warrensburg, Mo.) – The University of Central Missouri senior quarterback Eric Czerniewski became the first ever Mule named a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award last week, given to the nation’s top Division II football player, and Monday he was announced as one of the top three vote-getters, earning an invitation to the 25th Annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on December 17 in Florence, Alabama. The Division II National Championship game will be played the next day at 11:00 a.m. ET on ESPN2 live from Braly Municipal Stadium.
Czerniewski, along with quarterback Blake Bolles of Northwest Missouri State University, and quarterback Zach Amedro of West Liberty (W.V.) University emerged as the top three from a field of nine finalists. Sports information directors at the 149 schools that compete in Division II football voted on the award, concluding on Friday, December 3
Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight, and can be purchased by calling Judy Keenum at the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661.
Czerniewski (Montgomery City, Mo.) led the nation in passing yards (5,207), touchdown passes (46), and total offense (5,203), and broke the NCAA-II record for yards passing in a season. He also shattered every single-season passing record at UCM and in the MIAA. He was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year, the Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year, and to the conference and region first-teams. He completed a record 447-of-670 passes, good for 66.7 percent. He averaged 371.9 yards per game, with an efficiency rating of 150.2. He threw for more than 300 yards 10 times this year, and more than 200 yards in every game.
Czerniewski also finished his career ranked No. 4 in NCAA-II history and first in MIAA history with 12,847 yards passing. He has shattered more than 20 school records, including career marks like completions (1,043), touchdowns (107), yards, total offense (12,978) and attempts (1,678).
He led No. 8 Central Missouri (11-3) to the NCAA-II Quarterfinals this season, and UCM won its first ever playoff game, while setting a school record for wins.
Four players in MIAA history have won the award, with wide receiver Ronnie West of Pittsburg State in 1991, running back Ronald Moore of PSU in 1992, Truman State running back Jarrett Anderson in 1996, and running back Brian Shay of Emporia State in 1998.
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