Nov. 21, 2006

Florence, Ala. - A field of 24 candidates has been trimmed to eight national finalists, and Grand Valley State senior quarterback Cullen Finnerty is one of the eight finalists. The finalists were announced Tuesday by the Harlon Hill Award Committee.

The top two players from each of the Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest regions advanced through regional voting. Thefinalists were selected by the NCAA Division II sports information directors in regional voting and will now be placed on the national ballot where all 152 of the division's SIDs will select the award's 21st winner.

The list of 2006 finalists is comprised of four running backs,three quarterbacks, one defensive lineman.

Six of the finalists helped lead their teams into the NCAA Division II playoffs this season and three of the eight finalists were also Hill finalists in 2005.

Advancing from the Northeast region are 2005 Hill Trophy winner Jimmy Terwilliger, quarterback at East Stroudsburg University, and running back Lorenzo Perry of Bryant University. Finalists from the Southeast region are quarterback Scott Eyster of Delta State University and Albany State University defensive lineman Alton Pettway. Quarterback Cullen Finnerty of Grand Valley State University and running back Stefan Logan of the University of South Dakota advanced from the Northwest region, and tailback Danny Woodhead of Chadron State College and tailback Germaine Race of Pittsburg State University were selected from the Southwest region.

Candidates for the 2006 Hill Trophy were nominated by the sports information directors at their respective schools and those nominations were then reviewed by the Hill Regional Advisory Committees, which trimmed the list of candidates.

National voting will conclude on December 1 and the top three finishers will be invited to the Shoals for the presentation banquet. The winner of the 2006 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Football Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, December 15 in Florence, prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game on Dec.16.

Cullen Finnerty Bio

2006 Highlights: 2006 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year...First-Team All-GLIAC QB for the second straight year...Completed 135-of-228 passes for 2,154 yards and 29 touchdowns, while rushing for 328 yards and six scores on 81 carries. Has accounted for 2,486 yards of total offense and 35 touchdowns on the season... Led the nation in pass efficiency rating (173.5) and TD-to-Pass Completion Ratio (1 TD every 4.6 completions), while ranking second in TD passes (29)...Finnerty led the GLIAC in pass efficiency rating (173.5) and TD passes (29), while ranking second in total offense (225.6 ypg) and third in passing yards per game (195.8)...Cullen was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week twice during the 2006 campaign and four times in his career...Set a Superior Dome single-game record with six TD passes vs. Northern Michigan.

2006 Key Stats: Averaged 13 completions in 21 attempts for the 2006 season for an average of 16.2 yards per completion. Northern Michigan - Completed 13-of-18 passes for 296 yards and six TDs...Rushed for 29 yards on five carries...Notched a season-high 325 yards of total offense. Saginaw Valley State - Completed 11-of-16 passes for 158 yards and 3 TDs...Rushed 26 yards and a TD on five carries. Northwood - Completed 9-of-19 for 146 yards and three TDs...Rushed for a season-high 80 yards on 14 carries...Accounted for 226 yards of total offense. Indianapolis - Completed 15-of-29 passes for 209 yards and two TDs...Rushed for 27 yards on five carries...Accounted for 236 yards of total offense. Mercyhurst - Completed 13-of-16 passes for 210 yards and two TDs...Rushed for 50 yards on five carries...Accounted for 260 yards of total offense. Wayne State Completed 18-of-29 passes for 187 yards and four TDs...Rushed for 45 yards on eight carries...Tallied 232 yards of total offense...18 completions are the most since completing 19 at Northwood in 2004 (23 games)...Four TD passes rank as the second-best, single-game total in Finnerty's career. Michigan Tech - Completed 9-of-15 passes for 209 yards.

Career Accomplishments and Awards: 2006 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year...First-Team All-GLIAC QB for the second straight year...The all-time winningest quarterback in college football history with a career record of 47-4...Finnerty is 4th on the NCAA DII all-time total offense list 11,970 yards (2,131 rushing/9,839 passing). Cullen has accounted for 127 TDs in his career (98 passing/29 rushing)...Finnerty has 9,839 passing yards in his career, second on the Laker all-time passing list. Finnerty trails only leader Curt Anes (10,581)...Finnerty is 17th in DII history in all-time passing yards with 9,839...Cullen is one of four college football players to pass for over 9,000 yards (9,839) and rush for more than 2,000 yards (2,131) in their career. Brad Smith (Missouri, 2002-05), Steve McNair (Alcorn State, 1991-94), James McNear (Condordia-St. Paul, 200205)...Finnerty moved into second in the GLIAC record books with 9,150 yards of total offense, behind Curt Anes' 9,746 yards. In addition, Finnerty is sixth in all-time passing yards with 7,606 yards...Named the 2005 GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year and First-Team All-GLIAC QB...2003 GLIAC Freshman of the Year.