Kramer Named Finalist for 2024 Cliff Harris Award

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Baker football's Zac Kramer was selected as one of 13 finalists for the 2024 Cliff Harris Award for the NAIA Division, the organization announced on Tuesday morning.

The Cliff Harris Award recognizes the top small college defensive player in the country in NCAA
Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA. This award highlights exceptional talent and contributions to the game by athletes who have made a significant impact on their teams.

The winner of the 2024 Cliff Harris Award for NAIA is selected by the NAIA Selection Committee from a field of 13 finalists. The winner will be announced during the NAIA National Championship game on Saturday, December 21.

Kramer was named to his first NAIA All-America team last week and was tabbed the 2024 Heart South Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the fourth straight Wildcat to garner the award. He led the team and ranked second in the conference with 92 tackles this season, while his four interceptions were third-best among Heart South players.

The junior from Seneca, Kan. recorded double-digit tackles in five games and had picks in back-to-back games on two separate occasions this fall with two of his interceptions being returned for touchdowns.

The Wildcats finished off a 2024 season that saw them win nine games (9-2), earn a share of the Heart South title and reach the NAIA FCS all for the second straight year. BU went 5-1 in conference play and forced a three-way tie for the league championship after defeating MidAmerica Nazarene, 20-14 on the road in the second-to-last game of the regular season.

2024 Cliff Harris Award Finalists
Quincy Robinson- DL -Bluefield (Va.) – Appalachian Conference
Hunter Peck -DL- Carroll (Mont.) – Frontier Conference
Parker Fryar -LB- Northwestern (Iowa) - GPAC
John Argo -LB- Grand View (Iowa) - Heart North Conference
Zac Kramer -LB- Baker (Kan.)- Heart South Conference
AJ Hemphill -LB- Ottawa (Kan.)- KCAC Bissell
Bradley Myers -LB- Evangel (Mo.)- KCAC Kessinger
Chad Holleran -LB- Georgetown's (Ky.) - Mid-South Conference
Clayton Mosher -LB- Indiana Wesleyan - MidStates Mideast Conference
Marquise Cross -DL- Saint Francis (Ind.) - MidStates Midwest Conference
Jayden Heartwell -DB- Dickinson State (N.D.) - North Star Conference
Isiah Cotton –LB- Ottawa University Arizona – Sooner Conference
Tai Lologo -DL- Keiser (Fla.) – Sun Conference

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