FLORENCE, Ala. – Although his collegiate career came to end earlier this month, Western State Colorado University running back Austin Ekeler continues to be recognized for his performance. Ekeler was named a finalist for the 2016 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year. It's the first time in school history a player from Western was selected as a finalist for the award.
 
The initial field of 43 nominees was trimmed to just nine finalists, which will now be placed on the national ballot. All 171 Division II sports information directors will select the award's 31^st winner.
 
The top two players from all four super regions made the final cut. However, in Western's region, Region IV, three finalists were selected due to a tie in the voting process.
 
Ekeler was the driving force for Western football in 2016. Along with setting nearly every career rushing record in Western history, the senior running back led all NCAA divisions in rushing yards through the first eight weeks of the season and was the NCAA's active career rushing leader through the first nine weeks (currently sits second).  Despite only playing in one of the final eight quarters of the season, Ekeler was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's leader in rushing yards and rushing yards per game. He is currently second in Division II with 149.5 average rushing yards per game.
 
In 2016, Ekeler ran for 316 yards, including a career long 88-yard run, and scored five touchdowns to help Western defeat then ranked No. 23 Colorado School of Mines 45-31. In the 10 games Ekeler appeared, he accounted for nearly 40 percent of Western's points (108-of-278). He also helped the Mountaineers to the most program wins in 18 years (7), recorded over 100 all-purpose yards in eight games, and over 200 in four games. Most of his yardage came after being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage, and recorded 92 of his 174 all-purpose yards after first contact against Black Hills State University.
 
Joining Ekeler from the RMAC is Colorado School of Mines quarterback Justin Dvorak.
 
National voting will conclude on Dec. 10 and the winner of the 2016 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced on Friday, Dec. 16. The winner will be honored at a luncheon on the University of North Alabama campus on Jan. 6, 2017. The Harlon Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Ala., Opti-Net, Herff Jones and the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa.

2016 Harlon Hill Finalists
 

SUPER REGIONAL 1	Ht Wt Cl	Pos.	School	Hometown
Garry Brown	WR 6-1 200	SR	California, Pa.	Columbus, Ohio
Jeff Ziemba	QB 6-3 212	SR	Shepherd	Newark, Del.
SUPER REGIONAL 2	Ht Wt Cl	Pos.	School	Hometown
Jacob Tucker	QB 6-2 185	SR	North Alabama	Linden, Tenn.
Raleigh Yeldell	QB 6-0 175	SR	Newberry	Edgefield, S.C.
SUPER REGIONAL 3	Ht Wt Cl	Pos.	School	Hometown
Trey Heid	QB 6-2 197	SR	Augustana (S.D.)	Lakeville, Minn.
Kyle Zimmerman	QB 6-1 200	SR	Northwest Missouri State	Overland Park, Kan.
SUPER REGIONAL 4	Ht Wt Cl	Pos.	School	Hometown
Marty Carter	RB 6-0 202	SO	Grand Valley State	East Chicago, Ind.
Justin Dvorak	QB 6-0 200	SR	Colorado School of Mines	Tomball, Texas
Austin Ekeler	RB 5-9 198	SR	Western State	Eaton, Colo.

 

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KEY STATS Rushing Yards: 1,495 (1-RMAC; 5-DII) Rushing Yards Per Game: 149.5 (1-RMAC; 2-DII) Yards Per Carry: 6.44 (2-RMAC; 17-DII) Rushing Touchdowns Scored: 15 (2-RMAC; T-19 DII) Touchdowns Scored: 18 (3-RMAC; T-19 DII) Points Scored: 108 (4-RMAC; T-18 DII) Avg. Points Per Game: 10.8 (3-RMAC; T-10 DII) Receiving Yards: 236 Receiving Yards Per Game: 23.60 Receiving Yards Per Catch: 13.11 All-Purpose Yards: 1,751 (2-RMAC; 17-DII) All-Purpose Yards Per Game: 175.10 (1-RMAC; 7-DII)	CAREER AWARDS 2016 All-RMAC First Team Selection 2015 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America Second Team 2015 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region IV First Team 2015 NFFCC First Team 2015 Associated Press Little All-America Third Team 2015 D2CCA All-America Second Team 2015 D2CCA All-Super Region IV First Team 2015 All-RMAC First Team Selection Six-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week (Twice in 2016) Two-time D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Week (10/28/2015; 9/29/16) Six-time Western Student-Athlete of the Week HERO Sports D2 Stud of the Week (10/30/15) 2014 Daktronics All-Region Second Team 2014 BSN All-America Fourth Team 2014 All-RMAC First Team Selection 2014 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region Third Team 2013 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region First Team 2013 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region Freshman of the Year 2013 All-RMAC First Team Selection
CONFERENCE RECORDS Game Rushing Yards: 344 at Western New Mexico 10/24/15 (3rd) Season Rushing Yards: 1,637 - 2015 (8th) Career Rushing Yards: 5,857 (3rd) Season Rushing Touchdowns: 19 - 2015 (T-10th)	SCHOOL CAREER RECORDS  Career Rushing Yards: 5,857 (1st) Career Rushing Attempts: 932 (1st) Career Rushing Touchdowns: 55 (1st) Career Scoring: 378 (1st)
SCHOOL SEASON RECORDS Season Rushing Yards: 1,676 (1st), 1,637 (2nd), 1,495 (4th) Season Rushing Yards Per Game: 163.7 (1st), 152.4 (3rd), 149.5 (4th), 116.6 (7th) Season Rushing Yards Per Attempt: 7.2 (8th) Season Rushing Attempts: 298 (2nd), 232 (6th), 227 (7th) Season Rushing TDs: 19 (1st), 15 (T-3rd), 14 (6th) Season Scoring: 126 (1st), 108 (T-2nd), 96 (4th) Season All-Purpose Yards: 2,093 (1st), 2,039 (2nd), 1,751 (3rd) Season All-Purpose Yards Per Game: 203.9 (1st), 190.3 (2nd), 175.1 (3rd), 134.3 (T-7th)	SCHOOL GAME RECORDS Game Rushing Yards: 344 (1st) Game Rushing Attempts: 44 (2nd), 41 (4th), 37 (T-5th), 33 (T-10th) Longest Run: 88 (4th), 83 (7th), 82 (8th), 80 (T-10th) Longest Reception: 85 (T-6th) Game Rushing Touchdowns: 5 (T-1st), 4 (T-3rd)
ACADEMIC AWARDS 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team 2016 RMAC Football Offensive Academic Player of the Year 2016 RMAC All-Academic First Team 2015 NFFCC Academic All-Colorado First Team 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team 2015 RMAC All-Academic First Team 2014 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team 2014 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team 2014 RMAC Football Academic Player of the Year 2014 RMAC All-Academic First Team 2014 NFFCC All-Colorado First Team