December 20th, 2024 11:00am
By Chuck Bitner, D2Football.com
Central Missouri's Zach Zebrowski wins Harlon Hill Award
Central Missouri quarterback Zach Zebrowski has been named the winner of the 2024 Harlon Hill Award, presented to the top player in NCAA Division II football. The announcement was made on Friday, December 20 by the Little Rock Touchdown Club in partnership with the Great American Conference.
Zebrowski, also the 2023 winner, is the first player to earn the award in consecutive seasons since Ferris State’s Jason Vander Laan in 2014-2015. He joins Vander Laan, Johnny Bailey (Texas A&M-Kingsville), Dusty Bonner (Valdosta State) and Danny Woodhead (Chadron State) as a multi-time winner of the prestigious award.
Zebrowski’s 2024 season was full of superlatives. In 12 games played, he led all NCAA players with 4,724 passing yards. His closest competitor in Division II was nearly 1200 yards behind with 3,586. In addition to total passing yards, he led Division II in passing yards per game (394), total offense per game (443.6), passing touchdowns (40), points responsible for (302) and points responsible for per game (25.2). As of the date of the Harlon Hill announcement, Zebrowski leads all NCAA players in total passing yards and passing yards per game.
In addition to being the most prolific passer in the nation, he also led his Central Missouri team in rushing yards (599), rushing touchdowns (10), and longest rush of the season (33 yards).
During the 2024 campaign, Zebrowski was named MIAA offensive player of the week five times, including the final three weeks of the season, consecutively. He earned D2Football.com’s national player of the week following the regular season finale in which completed 44 of 47 pass attempts for 614 yards and four touchdowns.
At the conclusion of the regular season, Zebrowski was named MIAA offensive player of the year, first team All-MIAA, first team All-Super Region III and Super Region III offensive player of the year. Each of those awards was earned for the second year in a row. Nationally, he was named first team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and The Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association. He became the first player since Jason Vander Laan to repeat as the D2CCA Ron Lenz Offensive Player of the Year.
The Harlon Hill Award now recognizes Zach Zebrowski as the 2024 Division II Football Player of the Year.
Zach Zebrowksi is a redshirt senior from Woodbury, Minnesota. Prior to his time at Central Missouri he was a two-sport standout in football and basketball at East Ridge High School. Following his prep career, he attended Southern Illinois University, competing in six games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons before transferring to Central Missouri. He is the son of Jim and Heather Zebrowski.
Statistical snapshot of Zach Zebrowski’s 2024 season.
Pass attempts: 553
Completions: 372
Completion %: 67.27
Passing yards: 4724
Passing TD: 40
INT: 12
Rush TD: 10
Zach Zebrowski's 2024 season statistics
Final vote
Charleston running back Chavon Wright finished second in national voting. Wright led the nation in total rushing yards, rushing yards per game and rushing touchdowns. His 38 rushing touchdowns established a new Division II single season record. Ferris State quarterback Trinidad Chambliss finished third, followed by Sammy Edwards of Valdosta State. Chambliss and Edwards will both compete in the national championship game on Dec. 21. Virginia Union running back Jada Byers ranked fifth, followed by Slippery Rock quarterback Braden Long, CSU Pueblo receiver Reggie Reztlaff and Angelo State quarterback Braeden Fuller.
About the Harlon Hill Award
The Harlon Hill Award is named in honor the late Harlon Hill, a former standout player at what is now known as The University of North Alabama. The award has been presented annually to the top player at any position since its inception in 1986. Sports Information directors at the football-playing members of Division II nominate candidates (one nominee per school) and vote on the candidates regionally. From the regional voting of nominees, two players per region advance to the national ballot. National votes from the sports information directors determine the winner.
The award has been presented to a quarterback 21 times. Running backs have claimed the award 14 times. A single wide receiver has won the award as well as one player from the defensive side of the ball. There have been four multiple-time winners, with all four winning the award in consecutive seasons. Johnny Bailey is the only three-time winner in the award’s history.
Past Harlon Hill Award Winners
2024: Zach Zebrowski, QB, Central Missouri
2023: Zach Zebrowski, QB, Central Missouri
2022: John Matocha, QB, Colorado School of Mines
2021: Tyson Bagen, QB, Shepherd
2020: No award (Covid)
2019: Roland Rivers, QB, Slippery Rock
2018: Jayru Campbell, QB, Ferris State
2017: Luis Perez, QB, East Texas A&M
2016: Justin Dvorak, QB, Colorado School of Mines
2015: Jason Vander Laan, QB, Ferris State
2014: Jason Vander Laan, QB, Ferris State
2013: Franklyn Quiteh, RB, Bloomsburg
2012: Zach Zulli, QB, Shippensburg
2011: Jonas Randolph, RB, Mars Hill
2010: Eric Czerniewski, QB, Central Missouri
2009: Joquie Bell, RB, Wayne State (MI)
2008: Bernard Scott, RB, Abilene Christian
2007: Danny Woodhead, RB, Chadron State
2006: Danny Woodhead, RB, Chadron State
2005: Jimmy Terwilliger, QB, East Stroudsburg
2004: Chad Friehauf, QB, Colorado School of Mines
2003: Will Hall, QB, North Alabama
2002: Curt Anes, QB, Grand Valley State
2001: Dusty Bonner, QB, Valdosta State
2000: Dusty Bonner, QB, Valdosta State
1999: Corte McGuffey, QB, Northern Colorado
1998: Brian Shay, RB. Emporia State
1997: Irvin Sigler, RB, Bloomsburg
1996: Jarrett Anderson, RB, Truman State
1995: Ronald McKinnon, LB, North Alabama
1994: Chris Hatcher, QB, Valdosta State
1993: Roger Graham, RB, New Haven
1992: Ronald More, RB, Pittsburg State
1991: Ronnie West, WR, Pittsburg State
1990: Christ Simdorn, QB, North Dakota State
1989: Johnny Bailey, RB, Texas A&M-Kingsville
1988: Johnny Bailey, RB, Texas A&M-Kingsville
1987: Johnny Bailey, RB, Texas A&M-Kingsville
1986: Jeff Bentrim, QB, North Dakota State