Bell best in Division II, takes home Harlon Hill trophy

Wayne State running back Joique Bell won the 2009 Harlon Hill trophy Friday as Division II football’s player of the year.

The award was presented at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence, Ala.
Bell received 138 total points and won by 42 points over West Liberty (W.V.) junior quarterback Zach Amedro. Arkansas Tech senior quarterback Nick Graziano finished third.
Division II sports information directors selected the winner by vote.

Bell, a senior from Benton Harbor (Mich.), led all four NCAA divisions in rushing yards per game (189.45), scoring (17.5 points per game) and all-purpose yards (217.5 per game).

Among his other recent awards are the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was an All-American selection.
The 6-foot-1, 223-pounder rushed for 2,084 yards and scored 29 touchdowns in 2009. He finished his career with 6,728 rushing yards, sixth best in Division II history and eighth best amongst all divisions. He also accounted for 100 total touchdowns.

Bell rushed for over 2,000 yards in his freshman season. Only three other running backs in Division II history have rushed for such a total two times.
Scouts from NFL teams have taken notice of Bell, despite playing at the Division II level. The running back was originally recruited by Michigan, Michigan State and Grand Valley State before choosing Wayne State. Bell could find himself selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, and has said more than once that he has “no doubts” he can play at the next level.

Bell is the first Wayne State football player to win the award and first GLIAC player to win it since Curt Anes (Grand Valley State) back in 2002.

The Harlon Hill trophy was first presented in 1986. The trophy itself stands 30 inches tall and weighs 63 pounds. It has an approximate value of $2,300. Each winner gets to keep his trophy.
 

3 comments

Dr. Bill

Thu Jan 7 2010 15:16

Congratulations to Joiquie on winning the Hill award and on an outstanding career at WSU.

sandman

Tue Dec 22 2009 20:12

Joique Bell deserves all of the accolades he received because he gave 110%. His linemen deserve honors too but it seems the qb's and rb" s stand out. Nobody has dominated Wayne State football like that since Ed Skowneski in the mid 70's. Skowneski would have been a Harlon Hill candidate back then if they would have had it then. Joique Bell was a team player and his team played for him as well as for their school and themselves. Good luck in the future, I just hope that the Lions or Eagles draft him.

WSU alumni

Mon Dec 21 2009 11:26

Congrats to Joique Bell and his family for such a fantatic career. Bell, his 2009 WSU football team and Coach Winters have brought much honor and accolade to WSU with this accomplishment.

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