November 28, 2018-Emporia State senior quarterback Braxton Marstall has advanced to the national ballot and is one of nine finalists for the 2018 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II College Football Player of the Year.
 
A five-time MIAA Offensive Player of the Week winner, Marstall was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year after completing 274 of 448 passes for 2,734 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air while adding 402 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
 
He is leading the MIAA in total offense, passing offense, passing TDs, points responsible for, completions and completion percentage while ranking third in rushing touchdowns. He is seventh in the nation in points responsible for, 15th in passing yards, 17th in total offense and 18th in passing touchdowns. He has four games with at least 300 yard passing this season and has thrown multiple touchdown passes in eight games.
 
He is the Emporia State record holder in career passing yards and total offense and ranks second in passing touchdowns with one game left. He is ranked third in the MIAA in career total offense and fifth in career passing in the league.
 
The sports information directors at the 166 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The 37 initial candidates were placed on regional ballots and have been reduced to nine finalists. Marstall is one of five quarterbacks among the nine finalists and one of four players who's team is still in action this weekend.
 
The winner of the 2018 award will be announced on Friday, December 14 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet on January 10, 2019.
   
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.
 
Emporia State's Brian Shay was a three-time finalist and won the 1998 Harlon Hill Trophy with the most points (303) and the most first place votes (88) in the trophy's history.  Marstall's nomination marks the 11th time a Hornet has been up for the Harlon Hill Trophy.  Quincy Tillmon was a 1992 nominee, Shay was a three-time nominee from 1996-98 followed by Lester McCoy in 1999 and 2000, Dontaye McCoy in 2002, Tyler Paul in 2003 and Tyler Eckenrode in 2012. Brent Wilson finished fourth in the national balloting in 2015.  As a conference the MIAA has had five Harlon Hill Trophy winners.
 
Marstall has led the Hornets to the post season for the second time in three years as a starter.  Emporia State will take on Ark.-Monticello in the Corsicana Bowl on December 1 in Corsicana, Texas.
 

2018 HARLON HILL TROPHY FINALISTS

 

SUPER REGIONAL 1           Pos.       School   Cl           Hometown

Jaleel McLaughlin RB          Notre Dame College           Fr.          Marshville, North Carolina

Chance Stewart   QB          Hillsdale               Sr.          Sturgis, Michigan

 

SUPER REGIONAL 2           Pos.       School   Cl           Hometown

Amir Hall             QB          Bowie State         Sr.          Bowie, Maryland

Rogan Wells         QB          Valdosta State     So.         Fort Mill, South Carolina

 

SUPER REGIONAL 3           Pos.       School   Cl           Hometown

Jayru Campbell    QB          Ferris State          Jr.           Detroit, Michigan

Ka'Ronce Higgins WR         Southern Arkansas            Sr.          Searcy, Arkansas

Braxton Marstall QB          Emporia State      Sr           Emporia, Kansas

 

SUPER REGIONAL 4           Pos.       School   Cl           Hometown

Markus Jones      DE          Angelo State        Sr.          Fort Worth, Texas

Gabriel Watson   RB          Sioux Falls            Jr.           Piedmont, California