Snitker Named Cliff Harris Award Finalist
Dec 8, 2015
Senior linebacker Blaine Snitker made an instant impact for the Spartan defense after missing first three games due to injury.
Complete List of Cliff Harris Award finalists
DUBUQUE, Iowa - Senior Spartan linebacker and 2015 Iowa Conference Defensive MVP, Blaine Snitker, was named a finalist for the Cliff Harris award given to the best small college (NAIA, Division II, and Division III) defensive player of the year.
Snitker will find out if he is the winner of the $3,000 Cliff Harris Award trophy on December 24 after a prestigious selection committee, made up of former college and pro football greats, collaborate and vote. Voters include Cowboys' greats, Roger Staubach and Lee Roy Jordan, as they announce the winners of each of the three divisions as well. The award is in its third year and was represented by Darius Allen of Colorado-State Pueblo in 2014 and cornerback Pierre Desir of Lindenwood University in 2013.
Snitker, a 2013 and 2014 First Team All-IIAC selection for the University of Dubuque football team, started eight games and compiled 54 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and one interception in anchoring a Spartan defense that finished first in scoring defense (15.4 ppg) and total defense (314.7 ypg) during seven IIAC games. After sitting out the first three games of the season, the Waukon, Iowa native debuted with a bang after corralling a career-high 21 tackles in UD’s IIAC opening victory over Luther. For his efforts, the senior was named the IIAC’s Male Athlete of the Week for his second career weekly IIAC honor.
Off the field, Snitker is a two-time Academic All-IIAC award winner and two-time First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District.
The award is named after safety Cliff Harris, who reached five Super Bowls and six Pro Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys (1970-1979) after a successful career at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
