Michael Bates Chosen as a Semifinalist for Gagliardi Trophy

Vote for Michael Bates

St. John's University Athletic Media Relations Contributed to this Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Five juniors and five seniors are among the 10 semifinalists for the 2014 Gagliardi Trophy given to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III by Jostens and the J-Club of Saint John's University of Minnesota. The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993, recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. The award is named after John Gagliardi, Saint John's legendary Hall of Fame head football coach who retired in 2012 with 489 career victories, the most in college football history.

The 22nd annual Gagliardi Trophy will be presented on Wednesday, Dec. 17, in Salem, Va., at a banquet kicking off the Division III championship weekend, which culminates in the Stagg Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 20. Four finalists, who will be announced Dec. 9, will be on hand for the announcement of the winner and presentation of the trophy at the banquet.

Candidates are nominated by their college president. Nominations were submitted by 16 colleges across the country. The candidates included 10 quarterbacks, three running backs, two offensive linemen and one cornerback. The final 10 were selected by the J-Club Board of Directors.  

The five junior semifinalists are Joe Callahan, Wesley (Del.) quarterback; Matt Pawlowski, Guilford (N.C.) quarterback; Logan Schrader, Wartburg (Iowa) quarterback; Sam Sura, Saint John's (Minn.) running back; and Josh Warbington, East Texas Baptist quarterback. 

Last year's Gagliardi Trophy recipient, Mount Union (Ohio) quarterback Kevin Burke, is joined by fellow seniors Michael Bates, Illinois College quarterback; Brady Grayvold, Wisconsin-Whitewater cornerback; Domonique Hayden, Thomas More (Ky.) running back; and Dylan Jones, Willamette (Ore.) running back.

Bates had an extraordinary senior season to cap a four-year career as starting quarterback for Illinois College. The native of Auburn, Ill. threw for 3,008 yards and 32 touchdowns, while also rushing for 660 yards and eight more scores. He ended the regular season as the active career passing yardage leader in all of NCAA Division III with 10,787 yards. 

His exploits on the football field only tell part of the story though. Bates is active on- and off-campus in volunteer activities while also maintaining a 3.87 GPA in Biology with a Chemistry minor. He is a co-founder of the Stronghold Mission Group in his hometown and has made numerous mission trips -- including twice to Jamaica, as well as to Staten Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Here on The Hilltop, he has been both Secretary and Vice-President of the Brothers and Sisters in Christ organization, and has raised money in the Jacksonville community for the Pregnancy Resource Center.

The Gagliardi Trophy national-selection committee is comprised of 40 former small college football players, former Gagliardi Trophy recipients, business leaders, academicians and sports writers from around the country. Each casts a ballot ranking the 10 semifinalists. A fan vote, which will serve as the 41st committee member, will be launched on D3football.com Nov. 24 and run until Monday, Dec. 8.

The trophy design features a sculpture of Gagliardi and a player representing the teacher-coach and the student-athlete in a classic one-on-one sideline consultation. Hand-cast in bronze on a polished wood base, the trophy stands nearly two feet tall and weighs 64 pounds. The words "Division III Player of the Year" and "Honoring Excellence in Football, Academics and Community Service" are etched in glass on two panels flanking the figures. 

The 2014 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalists include (listed alphabetically; statistics are through the end of regular season, Nov. 15): 

• Michael Bates, Illinois College
6-0, 195 | Senior | Quarterback | Biology
Auburn, Ill./Auburn H.S.
-Ended regular season as the active NCAA Division III leader in career passing yardage…led nation in points responsible for (244), and his 32 touchdown passes were tied for fourth…co-founded Stronghold Mission Group in his hometown of Auburn, Ill...traveled twice to Jamaica on service missions and helped with Hurricane Sandy relief work on Staten Island in 2013.

• Kevin Burke, University of Mount Union (Ohio)
5-10, 190 | Senior | Quarterback | Business Administration
Westlake, Ohio/St. Edward H.S.
-Directed an offense that led Division III in yards per game (619.2) and points scored (577)…is 38-1 as a starting quarterback at Mount Union…2013 Gagliardi Trophy recipient…led Mount Union to 2012 national title and 2013 runner-up finish…volunteers with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Mount Union's Relay for Life.

• Joe Callahan, Wesley College (Del.)
6-1, 215 | Junior | Quarterback | Exercise Science
Absecon, N.J./Holy Spirit H.S.
-Finished third in Division III with 34 touchdown passes…fifth in both passing efficiency (181.1) and points responsible for (228)…recorded seven games of 300 passing yards or more…active volunteer at the annual Wesley SAAC Food Drive for the Food Bank of Delaware...is also a math tutor and participated in Read Across America.

• Brady Grayvold, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
5-11, 200 | Senior | Cornerback | Secondary Education and History (double-major)
Norway, Mich./Norway H.S.
-Tied for the conference lead with six interceptions and had 12 in his last 15 games through Nov. 15…ranked 19th nationally in interceptions per game…Whitewater finished second in Division III in scoring defense (8.6 ppg.) and sixth in rushing defense (77.0 ypg.)…volunteered as a football-camp coach and with the campus' pep rally for freshmen. 

• Domonique Hayden, Thomas More College (Ky.)
5-8, 212 | Senior | Running Back | Communications
Lexington, Ky./Christian Academy
-Led Division III in rushing touchdowns (25), finished second in scoring (16.7 ppg.) and third in rushing yards per game (158.4)...set school records for career rushing yards (5,461) and single-game rushing yards (336)…volunteers with Thomas More's mentor program and is a member of the school's leadership council…also volunteered with Northern Kentucky Special Olympics, raised money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and participated in a mission trip to Costa Rica.

• Dylan Jones, Willamette University (Ore.)
6-0, 206 | Senior | Running Back | Environmental Science
Santa Maria, Calif./Ernest Righetti H.S.
-Led Division III in rushing yards per game (177.7) and finished second in total rushing yards (1,599)…set school records for single-season rushing yards (1,599), single-game rushing yards (350) and longest rush (98 yards)…volunteered with United Way and the local food-sharing program in Salem, Ore. 

• Matt Pawlowski, Guilford College (N.C.)
6-2, 190 | Junior | Quarterback | Sport Management
Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford H.S.
-Led Division III in passing touchdowns (38) and was second in both passing yards (3,476) and points responsible for (236)…was sixth in passing efficiency (179.2) and seventh in completions per game (25.0 cpg.)…set school records for passing touchdowns (38), completion percentage (.678) and total offense (3,271) in a season…volunteers weekly during the off-season mentoring students with academic or behavioral challenges…also served as a motivational speaker to local youth teams.

• Logan Schrader, Wartburg College (Iowa)
5-11, 200 | Junior | Quarterback | Fitness Management
Kildeer, Ill./Dunlap H.S.
-Finished second in Division III in passing efficiency (186.9) and third in yards per completion (16.61 ypc.)…named the 2014 IIAC Offensive Most Valuable Player…tied the school's single-game record for passing touchdowns (5) twice in 2014…volunteered with Special Olympics…is an active volunteer at the Bremwood Lutheran Children's Home in Waverly, Iowa. 

• Sam Sura, Saint John's University (Minn.)
5-11, 200 | Junior | Running Back | Accounting
South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul H.S.
-Led Division III in rushing yards (1,605) and finished second in rushing yards per game (160.5)…ended the regular season with seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games (nine in 10 games total)…posted three games of 200 yards rushing or more…broke six school, single-season rushing records during the regular season…volunteers with Feed My Starving Children.

• Josh Warbington, East Texas Baptist University
6-1, 204 | Junior | Quarterback | Accounting
Hallsville, Texas/Hallsville H.S.
-Led Division III in passing yards (3,580) and passing yards per game (358.0)…finished sixth in completions per game (25.90) and eighth in both passing touchdowns (30) and total offense (352.6 ypg.)…had 14 touchdown throws of 30-yards or longer and five games with over 400 yards passing…volunteered at local blood drive, as well as with Special Olympics and at the local food shelf…active volunteer with local church by helping the elderly and teaching youth.

About Jostens
Minneapolis-based Jostens is the leading provider of championship rings, trophies and other programs and services that help athletes, organizations and their fans celebrate and remember athletic accomplishments.  The company's products also include school yearbooks and other memory book products and scholastic products such as class rings and graduation products that help people tell their stories, celebrate important traditions and recognize achievements. Jostens is a subsidiary of Visant Corporation, a marketing and publishing services enterprise servicing the school affinity, direct marketing, fragrance and cosmetics sampling and educational and trade publishing segments.

About Saint John's University J-Club
Founded in 1959, the Saint John's University J-Club is a dues-based booster organization of former Johnnie student-athletes, parents and fans, and plays a key role in support of the SJU varsity programs, intramurals and club sports. Saint John's is a private liberal arts college for men located in Collegeville, Minn.