MANHEIM, Pa. — Pittsburg State University senior offensive lineman Kory Woodruff is one of 33 nominees for the 2022 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club.

Woodruff garnered first-team All-MIAA honors for the Gorillas earlier this week after helping lead Pitt State to an unblemished 11-0 regular season and the 2022 MIAA Championship. The Sioux City, Iowa, native has started all 11 games for the Gorillas this fall, helping the Pitt State offense 33.5 points and 393.8 total yards per game. Woodruff is a two-time All-MIAA performer after transferring to Pitt State in 2021 from Briar Cliff University, where he was a three-time All-Conference selection and an NAIA All-America honoree in 2019.
 
The award is voted on by the nation's NCAA Division II sports information directors. Two finalists will advance from each of the four NCAA Division II super regions to a national ballot to select the winner. All nominees must be seniors or graduate players/transfers. The nominees include 20 offensive linemen (10 tackles, seven centers and three guards) and 13 defensive linemen (11 ends and two tackles). Super Region 3 has 10 nominees with Super Regions 1 and 2 at eight each, and Super Region 4 nominating seven student-athletes. More than half of the nominees, 17 in all, will be competing in the NCAA Division II Football Championship which begin Saturday.

The NFL recognizes, endorses and supports the winner of the award by guaranteeing a place in the all-star games. The support comes as recognition and appreciation for the late Mr. Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders, but later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. Upshaw, a former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility.
 
Pittsburg State offensive lineman Nathan Baker won the inaugural Division II Gene Upshaw Award in 2004.
 
Pitt State, the No. 4 ranked team in NCAA Division II, will play host to No. 13 ranked Indianapolis in the first round of the NCAA-II playoffs Saturday (Nov. 19) at 1 p.m. (CST).