Shane Bumgardner has been named a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award.
Eight national finalists have been selected for the 2023 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club. Two finalists from each of NCAA Division II's four super regions were voted upon by sports information directors around the country.
They are: from Super Region 1, Tiffin center Shane Bumgardner and Slippery Rock offensive tackle Yuriy Hryckowian; from Super Region 2, Benedict defensive end/tackle Loobert Denelus and Wingate defensive end Marquise Fleming; from Super Region 3, Grand Valley State defensive end Christian McCarroll and Missouri Western defensive end Dakari Streeter; and from Super Region 4, Bemidji State offensive tackle Ty Cobb and Colorado School of Mines offensive tackle Levi Johnson.
The center for Super Region 1 top seed Tiffin, Shane Bumgardner is a two-time First-Team All-G-MAC honoree for the Dragons, who finished the regular season 11-0. Tiffin ranks fourth in D-II in total offense and first downs, fifth in rushing offense, and sixth in scoring defense as they won the G-MAC championship. He helped lead the Dragons into the 2023 NCAA Second Round.
The winner will be voted upon by sports information directors from across Division II and announced Dec. 4. All nominees are seniors or graduate players/transfers and are linemen on either side of the ball at either offensive tackle, guard, or center; or defensive tackle, guard, or end. The eight finalists came from a group of 29 nominees. Of the finalists, six made it to the postseason in the NCAA Division II Championship, and four played in the second round including a Super Region 1 matchup between Bumgardner and Hryckowian as Tiffin hosted Slippery Rock. Three finalists - Hryckowian, Johnson, and McCarroll - will play in the NCAA quarterfinals on Dec. 2, and one finalist, Fleming, is also a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy given to D-II's most outstanding player.
The award is named in honor of the late Mr. Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders, but later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. Upshaw, a former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility. The award is presented annually by the Manheim Touchdown Club.