Wisconsin quarterback awarded Division 3’s most outstanding player

WLUK – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls football team is preparing for its biggest game of the year tomorrow. They’re traveling to Canton, Ohio to take on North Central College for the Division 3 National Championship where all eyes will be on the Falcons’ record-setting senior quarterback, Kaleb Blaha.

Those same eyes watched Friday night as Blaha, a Coon Rapids, Minnesota native, won the Gagliardi Trophy.

The Gagliardi Trophy is given to the most outstanding NCAA Division 3 football player. Nearly 70 percent of voters chose Blaha to receive the award.

This is the first year a Wisconsin quarterback has received the award since UW-Oshkosh’s Brett Kasper in 2017. It’s also the first time a player from UW-River Falls has received the award.

Blaha leads the country with 4,680 passing yards and ranks among the national leaders with 27.7 completions per game and 40 passing touchdowns.

This is the first time UW-River Falls has made the national championship. They play North Central College (Illinois), the defending champions. The game is set for 7 p.m. tomorrow.