Alfred University’s Keeley named Gagliardi Trophy finalist

   Alfred University senior quarterback Paul Keeley (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford Class of 2004) has been named one of 10 national finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy.

   The Gagliardi Trophy is awarded each year to honor an outstanding NCAA Division III football player. Created 15 years ago, the Gagliardi Trophy is sponsored by Jostens and St. John’s (MN) University. It is named after St. John’s head football coach John Gagliardi, the winningest football coach in college football history, with 453 career coaching victories.

   Keeley enjoyed an outstanding 2007 season at Alfred, helping lead the Saxons to an 8-3 record and a victory in the season-ending ECAC Northwest Bowl Championship game. He completed 221 of 343 passes for 3,006 yards, 34 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, setting new school single-season records for passing yards, touchdown passes, pass completions, passing efficiency (166.31), and pass completion percentage (64.4 percent). He will leave Alfred holding most major single-season and career passing marks.

   He holds the career record for passing yardage (7,607 yards), touchdown passes (80), total offense (7,562 yards), passing efficiency (145.21), pass completions (586) and pass attempts (984). He also holds single-season school records for total offense (2,991 yards, set this year) and total offense per game in a season (271.9 yards, set this year).

   Keeley also owns AU single-game records for touchdown passes (six, set against Hartwick this season), and single-game pass completion percentage (82.1 percent, set against Norwich this year).

   Keeley is a three-time Empire 8 Conference all-star, having earned Second Team honors this year and in 2006 and honorable mention in 2005. He is also a two-time ECAC Bowl Championship game MVP (2005, 2006). In his three seasons as Alfred's starting quarterback, he has helped lead the Saxons to a 25-8 record.

   Other finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy are: Justin Beaver of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Derek Blanchard of Mount Union, Jason Boltus of Hartwick, Thomas Brew of Case Western Reserve, Eric Dube of Dickinson, Alex Kofoed of St. John’s, Adrian Pynenberg of Wabash, Andrew Bain Smith of Hampden-Sydney, and P.J. Theisen of St. Thomas.

   The winner of the Gagliardi Trophy is selected by a national selection committee comprised of coaches, sports writers, community leaders and former Division III student-athletes enshrined in the National Collegiate Football Hall of Fame. For the first time, fans will be able to rank the 10 finalists and cast an electronic ballot that collectively will be added to the 30 votes of the national selection committee. Ballots may be cast immediately through Monday, December 3 through: www.d3football.com or directly through: Gagliardi Trophy.

Fans may only vote one time.

    Four regional finalists — from the East, West, North and South regions (Alfred is in the East) — will be announced on December 4. The Gagliardi Trophy will be presented December 13 in Salem, VA, as part of festivities leading up to the Division III national championship game Saturday, December 15, in Salem, VA.