Following another record breaking season for North Central College football, quarterback Luke Lehnen was selected as one of 18 semifinalists for the 2024 Gagliardi Trophy after winning the award following the 2023 season.
Lehnen breaking North Central and NCAA records
The honor is presented to the premier individual player in NCAA Division III football. Presenters of the Gagliardi Trophy, Stearns Bank and the J-Club of Saint John’s University (Minnesota), announced the semifinalists for the 31st annual award on December 5th.
Lehnen currently leads all Division III players this season in passing efficiency (213.4), yards per pass (11.7) and yards per completion (16.9) while topping the CCIW in passing touchdowns (31) and rushing touchdowns (12), earning a second straight Art Keller CCIW Offensive Player of the Year award for his efforts. Lehnen and the Cardinals won a fourth straight CCIW championship and finished the regular season 10-0, before defeating Whitworth in the Second Round of the Division-III Playoffs.
As a graduate senior, Lehnen enters Saturday’s Division III Championship Third Round game against Hope College as the collegiate career leader regardless of division in touchdowns responsible for (198) and the Division III all-time leader in total offensive yards (14,855). In 11 games, Lehnen has completed 139 of 202 passes (68.8 percent) for 2,355 yards and 31 touchdowns. He has also thrown a touchdown pass in an NCAA-record 55 consecutive games.
The Cardinals’ career rushing leader among quarterbacks (3,100) has gained 752 yards on the ground in just 58 attempts this fall (13 yards per rush) and now ranks second in North Central history in rushing touchdowns with 48.
Lehnen gives NCC a Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist for the seventh consecutive season. Quarterback Broc Rutter was the Cardinals’ first Gagliardi Trophy winner in 2019 while running back Ethan Greenfield received the award in 2022. Only University of Mount Union (7) and Saint John’s (4) have more Gagliardi Trophy winners than the three from North Central.
Neuqua Valley alum Brandt Stare also a Gagliardi semifinalist
Other semifinalists are Pacific University (Oregon) running back Brody Bantolina, Cortland (New York) quarterback Zac Boyes, Illiinois College quarterback Destin Chance, Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) linebacker Robert Coury, Susquehanna University (Pennsylvania) quarterback Josh Ehrlich, Lake Forest College running back/wide receiver AJ Jackson, Bethel University (Minnesota) defensive back Matt Jung, Delaware Valley University (Pennsylvania), DePauw University (Indiana) quarterback Nathan McCahill, Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) linebacker Charlie Patterson, Washington & Jefferson University (Pennsylania) quarterback Jacob Pugh, Curry University (Massachusetts) running back Diamontie Quinn, UMASS-Dartmouth quarterback Dante Aviles Santos, Springfield College (Pennsylvania) running back Arsen Shtefan, University of Wisconsin-Platteville wide receiver Brandt Stare, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wide receiver Jack Studer and Saint John’s quarterback Aaron Syverson.
Brandt Stare, a Neuqua Valley graduate, racked up 59 catches for 789 yards and 14 touchdowns for the WIAC champions from UW-Platteville. The senior broke the Pioneer record for career receiving touchdowns with 41.
Lehnen will discover if he is a Gagliardi Trophy finalist during a live show at 4 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, December 19th, on D3football.com. The 2024 Gagliardi Trophy winner will be revealed on D3football.com during the week of the Stagg Bowl, which will be played Jan. 5, 2025 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The No. 1-ranked Cardinals (11-0) host the 14th/16th-ranked Hope Flying Dutchmen (11-0) in the third round of the Division III Football Championship on Saturday. Kickoff at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium is scheduled for 12:00 noon and can be watched live on ESPN+.
