Zimmerman nominated for 2016 Harlon Hill

- Northwest Missouri State University senior quarterbackhas been nominated for the 2016 Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the Division II College Football Player of the Year. Zimmerman was one of 42 student athlete candidates that was announced Monday morning by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee.Zimmerman was named the 2016 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year. He ranks second in the nation with a 179.0 pass efficiency rating. He led the MIAA with 34 passing touchdowns against a league-low two interceptions. The Overland Park, Kan., native compiled 3,056 yards on 231 completions. He set Northwest single game records for passing touchdowns (6) and total touchdowns (7) in a homecoming victory over Pittsburg State on Oct. 29.The 42 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on November 28. There are seven nominees from Super Region 1, 10 from Super Region 2, 14 from Super Region 3 and 11 from Super Region 4.The winner of the 2016 award will be announced on Friday, December 16 via a webcast and the winner will be honored at a luncheon on the University of North Alabama campus on January 6, 2017. The Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Ala., Herff Jones and the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa.Candidates are initially nominated by the sports information directors at their respective schools and are then voted on by the SIDs in those Super Regions. The winner is then determined in a nation-wide vote of the Division II sports information directors.The group of 42 candidates includes 20 quarterbacks, eight running backs, five receivers, three defensive linemen, two linebackers, one offensive lineman, one defensive back, one tight end and one kicker.There are 23 seniors nominated and 19 under classmen.