Vander Laan Wins Harlon Hill Trophy With Fourth-Highest Vote Total Ever
Click Here For Official Release w/Voting Totals (PDF)
Click Here For Harlon Hill History (PDF)
Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University senior quarterback Jason Vander Laan (Frankfort, Ill./Chicago Christian) claimed the 2015 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year for the second time and this year's victory represented one of the highest vote totals in history.
Vander Laan received 217 total points and more than doubled the point total of 107 by running back Ja'Quan Gardner of Humboldt State University, who finished second. Colorado State University-Pueblo senior running back Cameron McDondle finished third at 90.
The award winner is determined in voting by the Division II sports information directors and Vander Laan's 217 point total marked just the second time in the last seven years that the Hill Trophy winner received 200 points or more. It is also the fourth highest vote total by a winner in the Hill Trophy's 30-year history.
Vander Laan was on 89 of the 101 total ballots cast and received 51 first place votes.
Vander Laan won the 2014 Hill Trophy by a narrow nine-point margin. He is just the fourth student-athlete in the 30-year history of the Hill Trophy to win it more than once, joining Texas A&M-Kingsville running back Johnny Bailey (1987, 1988, 1989), Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner (2000, 2001) and Chadron State running back Danny Woodhead (2006-07).
The Hill Trophy will be presented to Vander Laan on Friday, January 8, at a ceremony on the campus of the University of North Alabama, Hill's alma mater.
The Harlon Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Opti-Net, Herff Jones and the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa.
Vander Laan completed his senior season with 4,167 yards of total offense after rushing for 1,542 and passing for 2,625 more. His 347.3 yards of total offense per game rank sixth nationally and he is ninth in rushing at 128.5. He rushed for 24 touchdowns and threw for another 27 to rank second in Division II in points responsible for wit 25.5 per game. He completed 210 of 320 passes with just seven interceptions and ranked ninth nationally in passing efficiency with a 158.0 rating.
Among his numerous honors this season, Vander Laan has been named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, D2 Conference Commissioners Association National Offensive Player of the Year, first-team AFCA All-American and CoSIDA Division II Football Academic All-American of the Year.
Following Vander Laan, Gardner and McDondle in the voting were Emporia State senior quarterback Brent Wilson (58), East Stroudsburg senior quarterback Matt Soltes (58), North Alabama senior quarterback Luke Wingo (33), Shepherd senior quarterback Jeff Ziemba (30) and Carson-Newman senior running back Damian Baker (13).