Gene Upshaw Award

Gene Upshaw Award
Awarded forBest lineman in NCAA Division II college football
CountryUnited States
Presented byManheim Touchdown Club
History
First award2004
Most recentFerris State offensive tackle Tim Anderson

The Gene Upshaw Award is awarded to the best lineman, offensive or defensive, in NCAA Division II college football. The award is presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club and is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The award is named after former guard Gene Upshaw, who played college football for the Texas A&I Javelinas and later for the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Criteria

  • Must be a junior or senior in athletic eligibility and competed in at least 70 percent of the team's regular season games.
  • Must play at one of the following positions: offensive tackle, guard, center; defensive end, defensive tackle or nose tackle.
  • Must be of good academic standing (eligible to compete). Ineligible players will be disqualified.
  • Must be an All-American or all-region caliber candidate (first- or second-team).
  • Only one nominee per institution (regardless of position).

Winners

SeasonPlayerPositionSchoolRef.
2004Nathan BakerOffensive linemanPittsburg State
2005Mike McFaddenDefensive linemanGrand Valley State
2006Mike McFadden (2)Defensive linemanGrand Valley State
2007Brandon BarnesOffensive tackleGrand Valley State
2008Sam CollinsCenterAbilene Christian
2009Ben StaggsOffensive tackleWest Liberty[1]
2010Brandon FuscoCenterSlippery Rock
2011Joe LongOffensive tackleWayne State (MI)
2012Garth HeikkinenGuardMinnesota Duluth
2013Darius AllenDefensive endCSU Pueblo
2014Darius Allen (2)Defensive endCSU Pueblo
2015Matthew JudonDefensive endGrand Valley State[2]
2016Jordan MorganOffensive tackleKutztown[3]
2017Marcus MartinDefensive endSlippery Rock[4]
2018Markus JonesDefensive endAngelo State[5]
2019Austin EdwardsDefensive endFerris State[6]
2020Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2021Dylan PasqualiOffensive tackleFerris State[7]
2022Caleb MurphyDefensive endFerris State[8]
2023Levi JohnsonOffensive tackleColorado Mines[9]
2024Marquise FlemingDefensive endWingate[10]
2025Tim AndersonOffensive tackleFerris State[11]

Source:[12]

Awards won by school

Schools in italics are no longer Division II members.

SchoolWinners
Ferris State4
Grand Valley State4
Slippery Rock2
CSU Pueblo2
Abilene Christian1
Angelo State1
Colorado Mines1
Kutztown1
Minnesota Duluth1
Pittsburg State1
Wayne State (MI)1
West Liberty1
Wingate1

References

  1. ↑ "West Liberty's Staggs Wins Gene Upshaw Award". hilltoppersports.com. West Liberty University. May 22, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  2. ↑ "GVSU's Matt Judon Wins 2015 Gene Upshaw Award". gliac.org. Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. December 2, 2015. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Morgan Earns Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award". kubears.com. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. November 30, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Martin wins Upshaw award with record vote". rockathletics.com. Slippery Rock University. November 29, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  5. ↑ Hulsey, Ethan (November 29, 2018). "DII football: Angelo State's Markus Jones wins 2018 Gene Upshaw Award". NCAA.com. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Ferris State's Austin Edwards Wins Gene Upshaw Award As D2 Football's Lineman Of The Year". ferrisstatebulldogs.com. Ferris State University. December 4, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Ferris State's Dylan Pasquali Receives Gene Upshaw Award As Nation's Top D2 Lineman". ferrisstatebulldogs.com. Ferris State University. December 6, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Ferris State Two-Time National Champion Caleb Murphy Signs With NFL's Tennessee Titans". ferrisstatebulldogs.com. Ferris State University. April 29, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2026. He was tabbed this past year as the 2022 Ted Hendricks Award recipient as the nation's top defensive end regardless of level and also recognized as the 2022 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award [...]
  9. ↑ Flynn, Tim (December 4, 2023). "Johnson Wins Upshaw Award As D-II's Outstanding Lineman". minesathletics.com. Colorado School of Mines. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Marquise Fleming wins prestigious Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award". wingatebulldogs.com. Wingate University. December 12, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  11. ↑ "GENE UPSHAW AWARD WINNER! Ferris State's Tim Anderson Named Nation's Top D2 Lineman". ferrisstatebulldogs.com. Ferris State University. December 12, 2025. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Gene Upshaw Award". d2football.com. Retrieved May 25, 2026. Past winners of the Gene Upshaw Award
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