COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Owen Grover has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2023 Gagliardi Trophy presented by Stearns Bank and the J-Club of Saint John's University (Minn.) to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III, the J-Club announced today.

Grover is the third individual from the Wartburg football program to be named a semifinalist: Logan Schrader (2014 & 2015); Matt Sacia (2017, 2018).

After a record number of Gagliardi Trophy nominations this year, and the introduction of our new presenting sponsor Stearns Bank, 20 candidates have been selected to move on to the voters. 
 
Fifteen seniors lead the quarterback-heavy class of semifinalists for an award The semifinalist list also contains nominees from all six NCAA regions. Multiple positions are represented: 10 quarterbacks, six defensive players, three running backs and one wide receiver. Fourteen of the 20 semifinalists participated in the first round of the Division III playoffs.

The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993 is awarded to the most outstanding NCAA Division III football player and recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. The award is named after John Gagliardi, Saint John's legendary Hall of Fame head football coach who passed away at the age of 91 in 2018. John retired in 2012 with 489 career victories, the most in college football history.

The Gagliardi Trophy finalists will be announced during a live show on Thursday, Dec. 7, on D3football.com. Hosts Pat Coleman and Frank Rossi will profile the finalists during the program. The 2023 Gagliardi Trophy winner will be revealed on D3football.com during the week of the NCAA Division III football national championship on the evening of Friday, Dec. 15. In the lead up to the announcement of the 2023 Gagliardi Trophy winner, D3football.com will provide updates on specific dates and times of the announcement.

A record number of nominations were submitted by colleges across the country, and the semifinalists were selected by the J-Club Board of Directors. The Gagliardi Trophy national-selection committee is comprised of 18 Division III coaches (three from each NCAA Region), six Division III administrators (one from each region), 12 regional notable voters (two from each region) and six national voters with Division III backgrounds. A fan vote, which runs until Dec. 2, will be live soon on D3football.com. No J-Club members vote as part of the national-selection committee.
About Stearns Bank N.A.
Minnesota-based Stearns Bank National Association is a $2.2 billion, independently-owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide, in every state across the U.S. Recognized as having a bullet-proof balance sheet with 25% capital and earning top rankings as one of the nation's highest-performing banks by American Banker, and most recently ranked fourth in the U.S. among banks having more than $1 billion in assets by Independent Banker's 2023 Best of the Best ranking of banks with the highest 3-year average Return on Assets, Stearns Bank specializes in nationwide commercial construction lending, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and equipment financing. Driven by a passion to help others achieve their greatest ambitions, Stearns Bank's mission is to Get the Job Done! For more information, visit StearnsBank.com

About the Saint John's University J-Club:
Founded in 1959, the Saint John's University J-Club is a dues-based booster organization of former Johnnie student-athletes, parents, and fans, and plays a key role in support of the SJU varsity programs, intramurals and club sports. Saint John's is a private liberal arts college for men located in Collegeville, Minnesota.