What Is the Harlon Hill Trophy? A Guide to DII Football’s Top Award

The Harlon Hill Trophy is given to the DII national player of the year each December. The trophy, which has an illustrious history that dates back to 1986, is regarded as the Heisman Trophy of DII football.

When Curtis Allen of Virginia Union won the Harlon Hill Trophy in 2025, history was created. He was the first player from a DII HBCU to receive the award and the first player in CIAA history. The running back ended a 10-year run of quarterbacks winning the award by setting the Virginia Union single-season record with 2,409 yards rushing (200.8 per game) and 30 touchdowns.

Everything you need to know about the prestigious DII football award is provided here.

What Is the Harlon Hill Trophy?

The Harlon Hill Trophy is a prestigious annual award in American college football given to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division II. It is widely regarded as the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, honoring the top individual performer at that level of competition.

Named after Harlon Hill, a former University of North Alabama star and NFL standout, the honor was first awarded in 1986. Sports information directors from the 156 Division II programs nominate players, and a voting process involving regional committees and national ballots determines the winner.

Each year, finalists are selected from four regions across the country, and the ultimate recipient is celebrated during the Division II championship weekend. The trophy symbolizes not just athletic excellence on the field but also leadership and achievement within Division II football.

Meet NFL football player and North Alabama native Harlon Hill

From 1950 until 1953, Hill was a player for Florence State Teachers College, which is now North Alabama. He played both defence and offence, but his skill as a reliable receiver was what made him stand out. The Chicago Bears selected Hill in the 15th round of the 1954 NFL draft after he was named an All-American in 1953.

In a 1954 Rookie of the Year season, he shot to prominence, leading the NFL with 12 touchdown receptions. He won the NFL MVP award a year later. After his first three seasons, Hill scored 32 touchdowns, and by the end of his nine-year NFL career, he was a two-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler.

In 1986, the Harlon Hill Award committee named the trophy in Hill’s honour. Hill died in Florence, Alabama, in March of 2013.

The appearance of the Harlon Hill Trophy

The trophy is a wooden award with four tiers. The names of previous champions encircle the base, which features a gold plaque honouring the top DII college football player in the country. The second tier is called the Harlon Hill Trophy, and a base with a picture of Harlon Hill wearing his No. 87 jersey is held above it by a DII plaque. On top of the award is a gold football.

From 1986 to 2017, the Harlon Hill Award committee presented the honour in collaboration with North Alabama, Hill’s alma mater. The Little Rock Touchdown Club and the Great American Conference took over as the award’s new hosts after the Lions switched to FCS.

The history of winners of the Harlon Hill Trophy

The Bison were a DII football powerhouse prior to North Dakota State’s eventual dominance of the FCS. In 1986, Jeff Bentrim became the first person to win the honour after leading them to a second straight championship.

The Harlon Hill Award has been heavily focused on offence ever since. With Allen, there are now 15 running backs among the 22 quarterbacks who have won awards, including the last ten in a row. The only wide receiver to earn the award is Ronnie West of Pittsburg State, and the only defensive player to ever be named a Harlon Hill winner is Ronald McKinnon of North Alabama.

Who are the other four student-athletes who have received this honour more than once? Johnny Bailey, a running back for Texas A&M-Kingsville from 1987 to 1989, won it three times in a row, more than anyone else. The two-time champions are Jason Vander Laan of Ferris State, Dusty Bonner of Valdosta State, and Danny Woodhead of Chadron State.

YEAR	player	school	position
1986	Jeff Bentrim	North Dakota State	Quarterback
1987	Johnny Bailey	Texas A&M-Kingsville	Running back
1988	Johnny Bailey	Texas A&M-Kingsville	Running back
1989	Johnny Bailey	Texas A&M-Kingsville	Running back
1990	Chris Simdorn	North Dakota State	Quarterback
1991	Ronnie West	Pittsburg State	Wide receiver
1992	Ronald Moore	Pittsburg State	Running back
1993	Roger Graham	New Haven	Running back
1994	Chris Hatcher	Valdosta State	Quarterback
1995	Ronald McKinnon	North Alabama	Linebacker
1996	Jarrett Anderson	Truman	Running back
1997	Irvin Sigler	Bloomsburg	Running back
1998	Brian Shay	Emporia State	Running back
1999	Corte McGuffey	Northern Colorado	Quarterback
2000	Dusty Bonner	Valdosta State	Quarterback
2001	Dusty Bonner	Valdosta State	Quarterback
2002	Curt Anes	Grand Valley State	Quarterback
2003	Will Hall	North Alabama	Quarterback
2004	Chad Friehauf	Colorado Mines	Quarterback
2005	Jimmy Terwilliger	East Stroudsburg	Quarterback
2006	Danny Woodhead	Chadron State	Running back
2007	Danny Woodhead	Chadron State	Running back
2008	Bernard Scott	Abilene Christian	Running back
2009	Joique Bell	Wayne State (MI)	Running back
2010	Eric Czerniewski	Central Missouri	Quarterback
2011	Jonas Randolph	Mars Hill	Running back
2012	Zach Zulli	Shippensburg	Quarterback
2013	Franklyn Quiteh	Bloomsburg	Running back
2014	Jason Vander Laan	Ferris State	Quarterback
2015	Jason Vander Laan	Ferris State	Quarterback
2016	Justin Dvorak	Colorado School of Mines	Quarterback
2017	Luis Perez	Texas A&M–Commerce	Quarterback
2018	Jayru Campbell	Ferris State	Quarterback
2019	Roland Rivers III	Slippery Rock	Quarterback
2020	No trophy given (Covid-19)
2021	Tyson Bagent	Shepherd	Quarterback
2022	John Matocha	Colorado School of Mines	Quarterback
2023	Zach Zebrowski	Central Missouri	Quarterback
2024	Zach Zebrowski	Central Missouri	Quarterback
2025	Curtis Allen	Virginia Union	Running back