Gene Upshaw Award Nominees

MANHEIM, Pa. - Colorado School of Mines center Matt Armendariz is one of 33 national nominees for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year award, presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club. 

Armendariz is the first Oredigger to appear on the list since Grant Stewart was a national finalist in 2019. He is the starting center for the nation's best offense, topping NCAA Division II in both scoring (47.3 points per game) and yards (509.9 yards per game) this season. He has been a key piece of leading the Orediggers (9-2) to their fourth consecutive RMAC championship and fourth straight NCAA Championship appearance. 

A durable leader on the offensive line, Armendariz has started 35 consecutive games dating back to 2019, starting that season at guard before moving to center in 2021. Last year, Armendariz was the Rimington Award winner as NCAA Division II's best center while also earning consensus all-America honors from the D2CCA, Associated Press, D2football.com, and Don Hansen's Football Gazette. He was also a First-Team All-RMAC selection in 2021, with the 2022 awards still to be announced. He has blocked for both of Mines' top two all-time rushers, Cameron Mayberry and Michael Zeman, as well as a pair of Harlon Hill nominees in Zeman and John Matocha. 

Two nominees from each of the four super regions will be announced as national finalists on Nov. 25. The winner of the Gene Upshaw Award will be announced Dec. 5 and the winner receives a guaranteed invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
 

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SUPER REGION 1
D.J. Adediwura (Slippery Rock)
William Ayers (New Haven)
Charlie Cleveland (Tiffin)
Cedie Dashiell II (Bentley)
Darell Davis (IUP)
Joey Fisher (Shepherd)
Jaylin Garner (Ohio Dominican)
Tyler Tate (Millersville)

SUPER REGION 2
Emanuel Boone (Fort Valley St.)
DJ Horne (Wingate)
Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche (Carson-Newman)
Tommy Mahoney (Tusculum)
Nicolas Melsop (Delta State)
Dalton Simpler (West Florida)
Cameron Thomason (Limestone)
Kody Varn (Newberry)

SUPER REGION 3
Quinton Barrow (Grand Valley St.)
DeJante Granger (Southeastern Oklahoma St.)
Elijah Green (Northwest Missouri St.)
Connor Lierz (Emporia St.)
Caleb Murphy (Ferris St.)
Austin Patricia (Southern Arkansas)
Peyton Stafford (Ouachita Baptist)
Kenny Thomason (McKendree)
Grayson Winters (Southern Nazarene)
Kory Woodruff (Pittsburg St.)

SUPER REGION 4
Matt Armendariz (Colorado School of Mines)
Trey Botts (CSU Pueblo)
Grayson Diepenbrock (Augustana)
Carter Duxbury (Winona St.)
Zollie Kaplan (Bemidji St.)
Brent Laing (Minnesota Duluth)
Clayton Martin (Western Colorado)