Emporia State offensive lineman Conner Lierz is a nominee for the Gene Upshaw Award.
Lierz is one of 33 nominees from across the nation for the award, which honors the top offensive lineman in Division II. He earned first-team All-MIAA honors for the Hornets after being a second-team selection as a junior.
Since arriving at Emporia State, Lierz has started every game he’s played in at both guard and center. Lierz is a two-time winner of the Hornets’ Squarehead Award as the team’s top offensive lineman. On the season, Lierz has 61.5 knockdowns and had a career-high 14.5 against Central Missouri.
Regional voting concludes on Tuesday with the announcement of the eight finalists and a national round of voting beginning on Nov. 25 and closing on Dec. 2. Winner will be announced on Dec. 5.
