FLORENCE, ALA. (Monday, November 13, 2006) - All-American running back Stefan Logan of the playoff-bound South Dakota Football Team (8-3) has been selected as one of 24 candidates up for the 2006 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year. The list of candidates was released by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee for announcement on Monday.

Logan, USD's career rushing and all purpose years leader, is on the list which includes six players each from the Southeast, Northeast, Southwest and Northwest regions. The Harlon Hill Trophy candidates are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at 150 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions. The 24 candidates will be placed on regional ballots with the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions advancing to the national ballot when regional voting ends on Nov. 17.

The winner of the 2006 award, which is presented by the national Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 21st annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, Dec. 14 at the Florence (Ala.) Conference Center at 6:30 p.m.

Blessed with sub 4.4 speed, Logan ranks arguably as one of the best running backs in school, NCC and NCAA Division II history. He is the first running back in NCC history to rush for 1,000 yards four straight years, a feat that also tied an NCAA record. In 2006, Logan has 1,452 yards (third best total in school history) on just 194 carries for an average of 7.5 yards. Logan, who just won his second straight rushing league rushing title, leads the league and ranks third nationally in all purpose yards at 203.3 per game. He owns four of the top seven rushing seasons all-time at USD. Logan ranks eighth on the NCAA Division II all-time list for all purpose yards with 7,435. Logan's current total of 5,703 yards career rushing yards places him 13th on the all-time D-II list. In his career, Logan is averaging 7.45 yards per rush and 132.04 rushing yards per game which ranks 21st all-time in Division II.

Logan, who played just one season of high school football as a junior at Jackson (Fla.) High School, walked on at South Dakota in 2003. Four years later, he is the best running back in school history. Already with 13 school records to his credit, Logan is the 11th player in NCAA Division II history to rush for 5,000 yards (5,703) and surpass 7,000 all purpose yards (7,435).

He has done all this while playing a huge role in the turnaround of the Coyote football program. During his career, Logan has led the Coyotes to a 31-13 record, including 16-11 in NCC play. He has played a major role in helping the Coyotes to its first playoff berth in 20 years in 2006. A year ago, he helped the Coyotes earn a share of the NCC title, which was the Coyotes' first since 1978. USD was 5-6 in 2003 when as a freshman, Logan had 1,155 yards to set USD's freshman rushing record. He had 1,345 yards in 2004 when the Coyotes were 9-2 and had 1,751 yards as a junior in 2005 when USD led the nation in scoring and total offense. In the past two plus seasons, Logan has led USD to a 26-7 record, including 14-6 in league play. USD has also been ranked in the top-25 in 25 straight weeks and 34-of-the-last 35 weeks.

In 2006, Logan has scored 13 TDs, including both his first-ever kickoff return (94 yards) for a TD and 66-yard punt return for a score. He now has scored a rushing, receiving, kickoff return and punt return TD in his career. He has nine 100-yard rushing games in 2006 and a school-record 33 in his career, which leaves him just one away from tying the NCAA record. He has bettered 200 all purpose yards five times this season, including a season-best 283 vs. Minnesota State on Oct. 28. This season, he has five games of 140 yards rushing or more.

During his career, Logan has recorded 650 positive carries (one yard or better). He has 62 runs or receptions over 20 yards and 34 carries over 30 yards. Logan has rushed for over 100 yards in 25 of his last 27 games. A runner with quick feet and surprising power, Logan already owns the NCAA record for yards in a quarter with 184 (Truman State, 2005). In that game, he rushed for a career-best 295 yards, averaging a school record 22.6 yards per carry. Later in the year, he had 284 yards against Minnesota-Duluth, which was the best rushing total in the NCC in 2005. Add to the fact that Logan is perhaps one of a handful of athletes to ever have a 90-yard run (98 yards vs. Truman State, 2005) and a 90-yard pass reception (90 yards vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 2005), and his impact has been huge.