SPORTS STORIES:
SPORTS INFORMATION—2008
whalen named finalist for div. iii player of the year...
CLEVELAND, OH (December 1, 2008) - Case Western Reserve University junior quarterback Dan Whalen (Willoughby, OH), fresh off of being named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, has been named one of 10 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, given to the top all-around player in NCAA Division III.
Vote for Whalen -- October video feature on Whalen
The Gagliardi Trophy was first presented in 1993. Since that time, the award has become one of the leading collegiate football awards and is widely recognized as the premier individual award in Division III football, honoring excellence in athletics, academics and community service.
“To be one of the final ten is still kind of surreal to me, especially being a junior,” Whalen explained. “When you look at the other nine guys, there are a handful of great quarterbacks and to be considered one of the best among them is awesome in itself.”
“I don't think it would have been possible to be one of the finalists without having the outstanding seasons we've had over the past two years, so it goes to show you that team success plays a big part even in individual awards,” Whalen continued.
Nominations for the award are made by the college president with supporting letters and credentials provided by the head football coach. After screening the nominations, the SJU J-Club Board of Directors narrows the field to 10 finalists including at least one finalist in each of the four NCAA regions. The 35-member Gagliardi Trophy national selection committee reviews the credentials, ranks the candidates 1-10 and casts their votes.
Under Whalen’s guidance, the Spartans football team completed its second consecutive undefeated season (10-0, 3-0 UAA) in 2008 and currently has a 21-game regular season winning streak. Case Western Reserve began the season ranked as high as No. 10 in preseason polls and during the year was ranked as high as No. 8. The Spartans also repeated as UAA champions, their third overall, and made their second straight NCAA Division III playoff appearance.
Whalen had an incredible season, leading Case Western Reserve with his arm and legs to a conference-leading 37.8 points a game. The two-time first-team All-UAA honoree accumulated 2,192 yards through the air on 163-of-265 passing (61.5-percent), throwing 17 touchdowns and only five interceptions on the season. He also scrambled for 271 yards on the ground and was second on the team with six rushing touchdowns. His 148.4 efficiency rating was the highest for a starting quarterback in the UAA. During the season, he set a school record for career completions, moving passed Eli Grant with 495 completions heading into his senior season next year.
“I think [this award] is bigger in a sense that it tells me I'm reaching goals I've set for myself,” Whalen said. “Every season I'm raising the bar higher and higher than the year before. We went 10-1 this year, so next year the goal is to go further and if I'm only a finalist this year, then next year the goal is to win the Gagliardi Trophy.”
Whalen is an English major at Case Western Reserve, and plans on working in the journalism field after graduation. This summer he completed an internship with Sports Illustrated in New York, where he was exposed to work in the magazine business. For the last two years, he has also made his passion for helping people quite apparent. During the annual Case For Community Day Sports Clinic hundreds of young children from local schools come to the university to spend a day with our most kindhearted student-athletes. Whalen has been a leader at the event, teaching the kids about good sportsmanship while playing football with them and answering their individual questions.
Starting in 2007, fans were given one collective vote on the d3football.com web site. The student-athlete with the highest vote total is named the recipient. The Gagliardi Trophy is presented in Salem, Va., site of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, on the eve of the national championship game.
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