Kasper Named Semifinalist For Gagliardi Trophy
UW-Oshkosh senior quarterback Brett Kasper has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2017 Gagliardi Trophy, which is presented annually to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III.
The four finalists for the Gagliardi (ga-lar-dee) Trophy, presented by Jostens and the J-Club of Saint John's University (Minn.), will be announced on Dec. 5. The 25th Gagliardi Trophy winner will be revealed at a banquet kicking off the Division III Championship weekend on Dec. 13 in Salem, Va.
A 40-member committee, along with a fan vote, will determine the winner of the Gagliardi Trophy. Fans can vote for Kasper at D3football.com from Nov. 21 through Dec. 4.
Kasper was selected recently as the WIAC Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in three seasons. The Two Rivers High School graduate has completed 136 of 206 passes for 2,201 yards with 24 touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 games this season.
Kasper ranks second nationally this year with a 190.3 passing efficiency rating while listing sixth in the country with 16.18 yards per completion and 14th with a .660 completion percentage. He threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns against UW-La Crosse this season and passed for 339 yards and three scores against UW-Whitewater.
Kasper has a career record of 38-5 as a starter for UW-Oshkosh, leading the team to an appearance in the 2016 national championship game and to the quarterfinal round of the Division III Championship in 2015. He ranks fifth among active Division III players with 8,962 career passing yards and seventh with 79 touchdown passes.
In January 2017, Kasper became the first Division III captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for his volunteering efforts with Be the Match. Kasper's bone marrow matched a girl in need of a transplant, and he underwent the life-saving procedure in spring 2016. Kasper, who owns a 3.375 cumulative grade point average as a supply chain mangement major, volunteers regularly with organizations, including Feeding America and Special Olympics.
Kasper is the second Titan to be selected as a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy and first since former quarterback Nate Wara was a finalist for the award in 2012.
The semifinalists for the 2017 Gagliardi Trophy also include running back Austin Breunig from North Central College (Ill.), offensive tackle Matt Gono from Wesley College (Del.), wide receiver Nick Holcomb from UW-La Crosse, linebacker Ty Parsons from East Texas Baptist University, quarterback Matt Sacia from Wartburg College (Iowa), running back John Smith from Husson University (Maine), fullback Jordan Wilcox from Springfield College (Mass.), quarterback Evan Wyse from Trine University (Ind.), and wide receiver Jesse Zubik from Washington and Jefferson College (Pa.).
The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993, recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. The award is named after John Gagliardi, the Saint John's University Hall of Fame head football coach who retired in 2012 with 489 career victories, the most in college football history.
Kasper and UW-Oshkosh (9-0) host North Central College (10-1) in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship on Saturday (Nov. 25) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.