COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Senior quarterback Joe Callahan from Wesley College (Del.), senior quarterback Matt Pawlowski of Guilford College (N.C.), senior offensive tackle David Simmet from the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) and senior running back Sam Sura of Saint John's University (Minn.) have been named finalists for the 2015 Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III by Jostens and the J-Club of Saint John's (Minn.). 

The 23rd annual Gagliardi Trophy will be presented on Wednesday, Dec. 16, in Salem, Va., at a banquet kicking off the Division III championship weekend, which culminates in the Stagg Bowl on Friday, Dec. 18. The four finalists will be on hand for the announcement of the winner and presentation of the trophy at the banquet, which will be video webcast live on D3football.com.
 
The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993, 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 retired after the 2012 season with 489 career victories, the most in college football history. 

Background information on the 2015 Gagliardi Trophy finalists, including statistics through the end of the regular season, academic major and community service is listed below. 

Simmet and the Tommies host Linfield (Ore.) in the national semifinals Dec. 12. A two-time College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) All-America first-team honoree, Simmet is the starting right tackle within an offense that led Division III in scoring (56.4 ppg.) and finished third in total offense (564.8 ypg.) during the regular season.

A 2014 Gagliardi Trophy finalist and a 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team honoree, Callahan directed the Wolverines to the NCAA quarterfinals and ended the regular season as the Division III leader in five statistical categories: passing efficiency (196.0), passing touchdowns (43), passing yards (3,809), points responsible for per game (29.6) and total offense (410.6 ypg.).

Sura led the Johnnies to the second round of the NCAA playoffs for the second consecutive season and ended the regular season fourth in Division III in both rushing touchdowns (23) and average yards per carry (5.83), among backs with 250 carries or more. 

Pawlowski, meanwhile, finished second in Division III in passing touchdowns (39), was fifth in passing yards (3,333) and sixth in both passing efficiency (180.5) and points responsible for per game (23.8).

• Joe Callahan, Wesley College (Del.)
6-1, 215 | Senior | Quarterback | Exercise Science
Absecon, N.J./Holy Spirit H.S.
-Led Division III in five categories: passing efficiency (196.0), passing touchdowns (43), passing yards (3,809), points responsible for per game (29.6) and total offense (410.6 ypg.)…recorded nine games of 300 passing yards or more, including four over 400…2014 Gagliardi Trophy finalist…active volunteer at the annual Wesley SAAC Food Drive for the Food Bank of Delaware...also participated with the Boys and Girls Club and Read Across America.

• Matt Pawlowski, Guilford College (N.C.)
6-2, 205 | Senior | Quarterback | Sport Management
Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford H.S.
-Finished second in Division III in passing touchdowns (39) and was fifth in passing yards (3,333)…was sixth in both passing efficiency (180.5) and points responsible for per game (23.8)…set school and conference records for passing total offense and passing yards in a game…2014 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist…volunteers weekly during the off-season mentoring students with academic or behavioral challenges…also served as a motivational speaker to local youth teams and volunteered with Relay for Life.

• David Simmet, University of St. Thomas (Minn.)
6-9, 350 | Senior | Offensive Tackle | Accounting
Stillwater, Minn./Hill-Murray H.S.
-Starting right tackle on an offense that led Division III in scoring (56.4 ppg.), finished third in total offense (564.8 ypg.) and fourth in first downs (274)…the Tommies allowed nine sacks and punted 12 times, including two 3-and-outs by the starting offense, during the regular season….2014 Academic All-American and 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree…collected money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital…involved with community clean-up and Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF)…active with Feed My Starving Children and Special Olympics, as well as his home parish.

• Sam Sura, Saint John's University (Minn.)
5-11, 205 | Senior | Running Back | Accounting
South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul H.S.
-Ended the regular season fourth in Division III in rushing touchdowns (23) and average yards per carry (5.83), among backs with 250 carries or more…school's record-holder in career rushing attempts and entered the postseason one rushing touchdown and 41 rushing yards away from those school records…2014 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist…volunteers with Feed My Starving Children and collected money for Tackle Cancer and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Six other standout student-athletes were considered for the 2015 Gagliardi Trophy:   
 
•    Alex Kocheff, University of Mount Union (Ohio), Senior Safety
•    Kodie McNamara, Gettysburg College (Pa.), Senior Linebacker
•    Jessie Ramos, Hardin-Simmons University (Texas), Senior Wide Receiver/Returner
•    Logan Schrader, Wartburg College (Iowa), Senior Quarterback
•    Matt Snebold, Wheaton College (Ill.), Senior Offensive Tackle
•    Dayton Winn, Hendrix College (Ark.), Junior Running Back/Returner

Candidates are nominated by their college president. Nominations were submitted by 18 colleges across the country. The candidates included six quarterbacks, four wide receivers, three running backs, two offensive linemen, one defensive lineman, one linebacker and one safety. The final 10 were selected by the J-Club Board of Directors.  
 
College football fans also voted online and their tally totaling 9,379 votes represented the 41st committee member. Senior linebacker Kodie McNamara from Gettysburg (Pat.) received the highest number of online fan votes with 1,535.
 
About Jostens
Jostens is a trusted partner in the academic and achievement channel, providing products, programs and services that help its customers celebrate moments that matter. The company's products include yearbooks, publications, jewelry and consumer goods that serve the K-12 educational, college and professional sports segments. Founded in 1897 and based in Minneapolis, Jostens is a subsidiary of Jarden Corporation and can be found online at www.jostens.com.

About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a diversified, global consumer products company with a portfolio of over 120 trusted, authentic brands. Jarden's record of strong financial performance and organic growth is supported by a focused operating culture coupled with value enhancing acquisitions and shareholder focused capital allocation. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Envirocooler®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew-Cornell®, Mapa®, Millefiori®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex®, Tigex®, Waddington, Yankee Candle® and YOU®; Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, AeroBed®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, Dalbello®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Greys®, Gulp!®, Hardy®, Invicta®, Jostens®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Neff®, PENN®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Squadra®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Völkl® and Zoot®; and Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Cadence®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rainbow®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®. Headquartered in Florida, Jarden ranks No. 348 on the Fortune 500 and has over 35,000 employees worldwide. For further information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com. 

About 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, Minn.