FLORENCE, Ala. – Colorado School of Mines quarterback Justin Dvorak – who led Tomball High School to an area championship as a junior – has won the 2016 Harlon Hill Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division II football.

Dvorak earned 185 points on 95 ballots, including 48 first-place votes, to win. Northwest Missouri State quarterback Kyle Zimmerman was second with 113 points, and North Alabama quarterback Jacob Tucker third with 86. Dvorak will be presented with the trophy on Jan. 6 at a ceremony on the campus of the University of Northern Alabama, Hill’s alma mater.

The award was announced less than an hour after Dvorak earned his B.S. in petroleum engineering during Mines’ winter commencement ceremony. The record-setting quarterback led Mines to a share of the RMAC title with 10-3 record this year and an appearance in the NCAA Championship Second Round, matching the longest season in program history. Dvorak is the second Oredigger to win the trophy, joining Chad Friehauf (2004).

“This trophy is an individual award but it’s yours just as much as it is mine,” Dvorak told a packed room of family, teammates, and coaches after the announcement. “I’m glad to bring the Harlon Hill back to Mines.”

The Hill Trophy was the capstone on an exceptional career for Dvorak. He set RMAC and Mines records in passing yards (13,466), total offense yards (14,608), and passing touchdowns (134), the latter mark ranking second all-time in D-II.

In 2016, he earned virtually every honor a player could including D2CCA National offensive Player of the Year, AP First-Team Little All-America, NFFCC Colorado Offensive Player of the Year, and RMAC Offensive Player of the Year. He leads NCAA Division II with 4,584 passing yards and 53 touchdowns, rushing for eight more. His 380.2 total offense yards per game ranks second in D-II and his 172.4 rating is sixth. Dvorak also leads the nation with 366 points responsible for.

Dvorak is the third RMAC player to win the honor along with Friehauf and two-time winner Danny Woodhead of Chadron State. Austin Ekeler of Western State was also a 2016 finalist, finishing eighth in the voting.

The Hill Trophy is named for a former University of North Alabama player – the late Harlon Hill – who was a standout with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears. The award is sponsored by the City of Florence, Herff Jones, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and the University of North Alabama.

Career statistics:

2016: Harlon Hill Trophy winner, the second in Colorado School of Mines history … AP Little All-America First Team … D2CCA Ron Lenz National Offensive Player of the Year … D2CCA First-Team All-America … D2CCA Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year … D2CCA First-Team All-Super Region 4 … NFFCC Colorado Offensive Player of the Year … First-Team All-NFFCC … RMAC Offensive Player of the Year … First-Team All-RMAC … RMAC Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year … Preseason All-RMAC … Hero Sports Preseason First-Team All-American … FootballGameplan.com Preseason First-Team All-American … Sporting News Preseason First-Team All-America … Lindy’s Preseason Second-Team All-America … RMAC Offensive Player of the Week (9/5, 10/17) … NFFCC Player of the Week (9/5) … Ended career with Mines and RMAC records in passing yards (13,466), passing touchdowns (134, 2nd all-time in NCAA D-II), and total offense (14,608) … Also holds Mines career records for completion percentage (66.1%), completions (1,068), and total TDs responsible for (161) … Led the nation’s #1 total offense and #3 scoring offense … Led NCAA Division II in passing yards (4,584) and touchdowns (53) … Second in the nation in total offense yards (380.2 per game) and sixth in QBR (172.4) … Threw 4+ touchdowns in 10 games, 5+ five times … Threw only 10 interceptions in 512 attempts … In 5 games vs. Top-25 opponents, threw for 1,801 yards and 19 touchdowns (avg. 360.2 yards/3.8 TD).

2015: Harlon Hill Trophy nominee … Don Hansen’s Football Gazette Honorable Mention All-America … Don Hansen’s Football Gazette Second-Team All-Region … First-Team All-NFFCC … First-Team All-RMAC … Mines SAAC Athlete of the Month in December … RMAC Offensive Player of the Week (9/7, 9/14) … NFFCC Player of the Week (9/7) … D2football.com National Player of the Week (9/7) … NFFCC Academic All-Colorado Honorable Mention … RMAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year … Led NCAA D-II in passing yards per game (369.3) … Mines had nation’s #1 passing offense and #2 total offense … His 270 points responsible for (45 TDs) led the nation … Threw for 38 TDs, ran for 7 … #2 in NCAA D-II in TD passes, rating, total passing yards, and total offense … Set the Mines record and tied the RMAC record with 8 TDs against South Dakota Mines … Threw for a career-high 555 yards in that game.

2014: Harlon Hill trophy nominee … NCAA Division II passing yardage leader (4,287 yards, 389.3 yards of total offense per game) … Second in D-II in touchdowns (36), passing yards per game (357.3), and completions per game (30.83) … Daktronics All-Super Region Four … Don Hansen’s All-Super Region Four Third Team … Second-Team All-NFFCC … First-Team All-RMAC … USA College Football Division II National Player of the Week (Sept. 29)…  Beyond Sports Network Division II National Player of the Week (Sept. 29)… Named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions (Sept. 29, Oct. 6)… Named the NFFCC Player of the Week (Oct. 7) … Started all 12 games at quarterback … Completed 370 passes (64.9%) for 4,287  yards, 36 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions … Averaged 7.5 yards per attempt … Threw four or more touchdowns in six games, including five against New Mexico Highlands … Threw for a career-best 500 yards on 35-of-45 passing against Black Hills State … Ended up with five 400+ yard passing games, including 409 on 42 completions in the NCAA Tournament against Ohio Dominican and 476 on a career-high 43 completions at Highlands.

2013: Named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 28)… Named the Mines Student-Athlete of the Week (Oct. 28)… Appeared in nine games with three starts… All three starts came at quarterback… Finished 84-for-130 (64.6 completion percentage) for 902 yards and seven touchdowns through the air… Posted a 136.1 passer efficiency rating… Threw three interceptions… Also caught 16 passes for 103 yards (6.4 yards per reception) at wideout… Finished 30-of-49 for 356 yards and a touchdown through the air while adding 62 yards on 15 carries and two more touchdowns for 418 yards of total offense in win over Colorado Mesa… Caught five or more passes in each of the first three games… Caught five passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns in win over Black Hills State… Carried 46 times for 164 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.

2012: Redshirted.

High School: Dvorak lettered four times in football and three times in basketball as a prep at Tomball High School… Named first team all-district in football as a junior and a senior… Led team to an area championship as a junior… Named academic all-district as a sophomore, junior and senior… Named academic all-state as a senior.