GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines' David Pesek has been selected as one of 24 candidates for the 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, as announced this morning by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee.

CLICK HERE for the complete list of 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy candidates.

The list includes six players from each of the four Super Regionals in NCAA Division II. Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 148 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions. The 24 candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four Super Regionals will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on November 13th.

The winner of the 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 24th annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 11th, at 6:30 p.m. (CST) at the Florence Conference Center in Florence, Ala.

A 6'3", 210-lb. senior quarterback from Centennial, Colo. (Arapahoe High School), Pesek is currently ranked first in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and fourth in the nation (NCAA Division II) in passing yards (3,025), first in the RMAC and sixth in the nation in passing (302.5 yards per game), first in the RMAC and 11th in the nation in completion percentage (63.9), first in the RMAC and 13th (tied) in the country in total offense (292.2 yards per game) and first in the RMAC and 14th (tied) in the nation in passing touchdowns (22).

Pesek, who is also currently second in the RMAC and 22nd in the nation in passing efficiency (147.40), is now ranked first in the CSM individual career record book in pass attempts (1,205), as well as second in pass completions (763), passing yards (8,653), completion percentage (63.3) and touchdown passes (59).

Prior to the start of the 2009 season, Pesek earned Pre-Season RMAC Offensive Player of the Year honors and was named Pre-Season First Team All-RMAC by d2football.com. Thus far in 2009, Pesek has been named to Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® (will be recognized at the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl) and was featured on the monthly NCAA on Campus television show (CBS College Sports network). Pesek was selected as the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame - Colorado Chapter (NFFCC) Player of the Week on October 26th.

An Honorable Mention All-RMAC pick as a sophomore in 2007, Pesek was named First Team All-RMAC and First Team (NFFCC) All-Colorado following his junior campaign in 2008. The President of CSM's Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Pesek earned his bachelor's degree (Electrical Engineering) in May of 2009 and is currently pursuing his master's degree in Mechanical Engineering (pre-med). Pesek has earned multiple Academic Achievement Awards, as well as recognition on the Dean's List, during his collegiate career at CSM.

The Harlon Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Ala., Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Opti-Net, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, and Herff Jones. A grand total of 38 candidates for the 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy were initially nominated by NCAA Division II sports information directors from across the country. Those nominations were then reviewed by the Harlon Hill Regional Advisory Committees, who trimmed the list of candidates to 24.

Former CSM quarterback Chad Friehauf was the recipient of the Harlon Hill Trophy in 2004 when the Orediggers won the RMAC Championship (12-1 overall, 8-0 RMAC) and advanced into the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history.

The Orediggers (7-3 overall, 7-1 RMAC) will conclude the regular-season portion of their 2009 schedule by hosting New Mexico Highlands University (1-9 overall, 1-7 RMAC) on Saturday afternoon, November 7th, at 12:00 p.m. (MST) at Brooks Field. November 7th will be Senior Day for CSM. The Orediggers will recognize their 17 seniors prior to Saturday's opening kickoff.

The 24-team field for the 2009 NCAA Division II football championships is scheduled to be announced on Sunday afternoon, November 8th, at 1:00 p.m. (MST) on ESPNEWS. Six teams from each of the four Super Regionals will qualify for the 2009 NCAA Division II football championships. NCAA Division II regular-season conference champions do not automatically qualify for the 2009 NCAA Division II football championships. However, earned access into the 2009 NCAA Division II football championships can be gained if a regular-season conference champion finishes in the top eight of their respective final Super Regional rankings (the RMAC resides in Super Regional Three).

The Orediggers, who would need a victory against New Mexico Highlands - as well as a Nebraska-Kearney loss at Mesa State - to earn a share of the 2009 RMAC football regular-season championship, were not ranked in the most recent (November 2nd) Super Regional Three top 10.

For more information, please contact CSM Sports Information Director Jeff Duggan at jduggan@mines.edu.

-- OREDIGGERS --

Football's Pesek selected as one of 24 candidates for 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy