Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Dec. 9, 2021 - North Central College senior wide receiver Andrew Kamienski has been selected as one of five finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, the premier individual award in NCAA Division III Football. The finalists for the 28th annual award, presented by Jostens and the J-Club of Saint John's University (Minnesota), were announced Thursday by D3football.com.
(Click HERE to view the archived video of D3football.com's announcement of this year's finalists.)
Kamienski, who was named a First Team All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) selection for the fourth straight year and voted the CCIW's Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year this season, was named one of 15 semifinalists for the award Nov. 23, marking the third straight season North Central has had a finalist. Cardinal quarterback Broc Rutter was a two-time finalist (2018, 2019) and won the 27th annual Gagliardi Trophy in 2019 before the award was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kamienski. an entrepreneurship and small business management major, has caught 66 passes for 1,144 yards and 11 touchdowns this season while also returning a punt for a touchdown. He currently ranks in the all-time top 10 in Division III in career receptions (328), receiving yards (4,898) and touchdown receptions (58) and set a Division III single-season record for touchdown catches (31) during the 2019 season. Kamienski was recognized as a First Team All-American in 2019 by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Associated Press (AP) and D3football.com.
Nominations were submitted by colleges across the country, and the final 15 were selected by the J-Club Board of Directors. The Gagliardi Trophy national-selection committee is comprised of 16 Division III coaches, four Division III administrators, eight regional notable voters and eight national voters with Division III backgrounds. Each casts a ballot ranking the semifinalists. The fan vote on D3football.com also counts as one vote.
Other finalists are University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) defensive back Jefferson Fritz and quarterbacks Blaine Hawkins of Central College (Iowa), Wyatt Smith of Linfield College (Oregon) and Gavin Zimbelman of Aurora University.
The winner of the 28th Gagliardi Trophy will be announced on Friday, Dec. 17 prior to the Division III national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, in Canton, Ohio.
No. 1-ranked North Central (12-0) travels to face the No. 4-ranked University of Mount Union (Ohio) Saturday in the semifinals of the Division III Football Championship. Kickoff at Mount Union Stadium is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Eastern time and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Click HERE for links to live coverage.
Download the free North Central Cardinals app, available for iOS and Android devices, to receive up-to-the-minute news, scores and updates on your favorite North Central teams. Click HERE for more information.
