Football | 11/22/2022 9:33:00 AM
November 22, 2022-Emporia State quarterback
Braden Gleason is one of 48 candidates nationwide for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the Division II College Football Player of the Year.
Gleason has led the Hornets to an 8-3 record this season and back to back post-season appearances. The junior from Muldrow, Okla. finished the regular season 299 of 439 for 3,146 yards with 28 touchdowns. He added 261 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground for 3,407 yards of total offense.
He is ranked third in the nation in completions, sixth in points responsible for and completion percentage, eighth in passing yards and touchdown passes and ninth in total offense. He led the MIAA in total offense, passing offense, touchdown passes, and completions. Gleason was the only player in the MIAA to have at least 200 yards of total offense in every game this season.This season's efforts have Gleason ranked fifth on Emporia State's single season passing yards list, sixth in total offense and seventh in touchdown passes.
The Hornets three losses this year were by a combined 15 points with one point and six point losses to NCAA Playoff teams Pittsburg State and Northwest Missouri.
The sports information directors at the 164 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The 48 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on Monday, November 28.
The winner of the 2022 award will be announced on Friday, December 16 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet on Friday, January 13, 2023. The sports information directors at their respective schools initially nominate candidates. The SIDs in those Super Regions vote for their top five candidates. The winner is then determined in a nation-wide vote of the Division II sports information directors.
The group of 48 candidates includes 16 quarterbacks, 10 wide receivers, eight running backs, seven defensive linemen, six linebackers and one punter/kicker. The list features 35 seniors, seven sophomores and six juniors.
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. Gleason's nomination marks the 12th 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 followed by Braxton Marstall placing seventh in 2018. As a conference the MIAA has had five Harlon Hill Trophy winners.
Gleason has led the Hornets to the post season for the second straight year. Emporia State will take on Southeastern Oklahoma in the Farmers Bank & Trust Live United Bowl on December 3 in Texarkana, Ark.
