NCAA Division II athletic communicators can find nomination/voting information below for the annual Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, an award which is selected each year by SIDs of Division II.
• 2012 Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award letter (PDF)
• 2012 Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award nomination form (PDF)
Division II Sports Information Directors:
Please find attached an introductory letter and nomination form for this year’s Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award. All nominations must be received by the Super Region chair by 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST on Monday, November 12, 2012.
As the national chair of the award, I encourage each of you to nominate a worthy candidate (offensive or defensive lineman) from your institution. Sports information directors of Division II football playing schools have the honor and responsibility of selecting the winner each year. The award winner will not only earn the right to be called the top NCAA Division II lineman, but he will also earn other prestigious honors.
The winner of the award received a guaranteed opportunity to play in the East/West Shrine Game, which is one of the top college football all-star games and is held on Jan. 19, 2013 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
It is hoped that the award winner will receive opportunities to play in additional postseason all-star games. These opportunities to play in all-star games in front of National Football League (NFL) coaches and scouts are the fruits of labors by members of the Manheim Touchdown Club, the presenting sponsor of the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award. The NFL recognizes, endorses and supports the winner of the award by guaranteeing a place in the all-star games. The support comes as recognition and appreciate for the late Mr. Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders, but later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years.
RULES FOR NOMINATION
Offensive and defensive linemen from any of the football-playing members of the NCAA Division II will be eligible.
The following criteria have been established for candidates:
a) Nominations may only be made by Sports Information Directors at NCAA Division II football-playing institutions;
b) A sports information director may only nominate a candidate from his/her college or university
c) Only one nominee per institution (regardless of position);
d) A nominee must be a junior or senior in athletic eligibility and have competed in at least 70 percent of his team’s regular-season games;
e) A nominee must play at one of the following positions – Offensive linemen: tackles, guards, centers (tight ends are not eligible); Defensive linemen: ends, tackles nose guards/tackles;
f) A nominee must be of good academic standing (eligible to compete). Ineligible players will be disqualified;
g) A nominee must be an All-America or all-region caliber candidate (first or second team);
h) All nominations must be received by the Super Region chair by 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST on Monday, November 12, 2012
i) No player may be nominated for the award from a school not eligible to compete for the NCAA Division II Football Championship. Players from a school that holds dual membership in NCAA Division II and the NAIA or are still in transition from NCAA Division III, the NAIA, etc. into NCAA Division II are not eligible.
DATES TO REMEMBER
• Monday, November 12, 6 p.m. ET: Nominations Due to Super Region Chairs
• Monday, November 19: Regional Ballots Distributed
• Monday, November 26, 6 p.m. ET: Regional Ballots Due to Super Region Chairs
• Monday, December 3: Final Eight Ballot Distributed to All
Division II SIDs by National Coordinator via Super Region Chairs
• Monday, December 10, 6 p.m. ET: National Ballots Due to Super Region Chairs, who will then forward vote tallies from their super region to the National Coordinator for compilation of the final vote totals
• December 17: Announcement of the winner of award
• May 2013: Presentation of the Gene Upshaw Award Division II Lineman of the Year Award at the Manheim Touchdown Club Banquet in Lancaster, Pa.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award contest, please contact the National Chair or your Super Region chair. The contact information is listed below:
SUPER REGION CHAIRS
Super Region 1: Bob McComas (Slippery Rock)
E-Mail: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
Fax: 724-738-4761
Super Region 2: Dom Donnelly (Tusculum)
E-Mail: ddonnelly@tusculum.edu
Fax: 423-636-7370
Super Region 3: Scott Nelsen (Minnesota State)
E-Mail: scott.nelsen@mnsu.edu
Fax: 507-389-1923
Super Region 4: Aaron Ames (Texas A&M Kingsville)
E-Mail: aaron.ames@tamuk.edu
Fax: 361-593-3587
NATIONAL CHAIR
Ethan Hulsey (Millersville)
E-Mail: ehulsey@millersville.edu
Fax: 717-872-3995