Omaha Athletics

University of Nebraska at Omaha senior tailback Justin Kammrad has been named one of three finalists for the presitgious Harlon Hill Trophy -- the NCAA Division II award for the most outstanding football player in the nation.
Kammrad emerged from a group of eight national finalists along with St. Cloud State quarterback Keith Heckendorf and North Alabama quarterback Will Hall.
Candidates for the 2003 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 to no more than six per region.
The winner of the 2003 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, Dec. 12 in Florence, Ala., prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game on Dec. 13.
Other finalists for the 2003 award were junior quarterback Drew Beard of SE Oklahoma State, senior defensive back Ricardo Colclough of Tusculum, senior linebacker Dan Holland of Mansfield, junior quarterback Mark Radlinski of Saginaw Valley State, and senior quarterback Cliff Watkins of Tarleton State.
Kammrad is the national rushing leader in NCAA II with 1,866 yards and 169.9 yards per game. He set UNO records for yards in a game and season as well as for the most 100-yard and 200-yard games in a season. The six-foot, 205-pound native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, rushed for more than 100 yards in his final 10 games and for more than 200 yards in his final four games. He capped the season and his career with a 308-yard game against Minnesota State, Mankato. That performance broke his own school mark of 239 yards in a game set in 2000 in his first collegiate start.
He was named the North Central Conference's most valuable offensive back while leading the NCC in rushing. In addition to leading the nation in rushing, he also ranks fifth in all-purpose yards per game at 174.8.
During the season, Kammrad had 56 carries of 10 yards or more and 19 carries of 20 yards or more. No team held him to less than a 19-yard gain all season.
The sports information directors from the 156 NCAA II football-playing schools vote on the award.
Kammrad is the first University of Nebraska at Omaha player to advance to the final stage.