COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – University of Wisconsin-River Falls' record-breaking quarterback Kaleb Blaha is the recipient of the 2025 Gagliardi Trophy, presented by Stearns Bank. Blaha becomes the first winner of Division III's most prestigious award from River Falls. The Coon Rapids, Minn. (Fridley High School) native leads the Falcons into Sunday's Stagg Bowl – the NCAA Division III national championship game – at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN in Canton, Ohio.
Blaha, a health and physical education major, suffered a season-ending injury during week three of 2024 and returned for his fifth year to lead the Falcons to their first WIAC championship since 1998. The senior leads the nation in passing yards (4,680) and points responsible for (226) this season. Heading into Sunday's title game against defending Division III champion, North Central (Ill.), Blaha has also rushed for 1,090 yards and 16 touchdowns. Blaha has now passed for over 10,000 yards and rushed for over 3,600 yards in his career at UWRF.
Blaha is the 19th quarterback to win the Gagliardi Trophy in the 33-year history of the award.
Of the 42 voters, nearly 70 percent had Blaha as their top pick.
Curry (Mass.) record-setting running back, Diamonte "Montie" Quinn, was second in voting. Quinn leads the nation in rushing yards (2,446); rushing touchdowns (27); rushing yards per game (222.4); rushing yards per carry (9.82); and total points scored (168) in just 11 games this season. Graduate student Nick Semptimphelter, a quarterback from John Carroll (Ohio), was the D3football.com Fan Vote winner.
The other 2025 finalists were:
Jack Curtis
QB | Sr. | Carleton
Bay Harvey
QB | Gr. | Johns Hopkins
Albert Rundell
WR | Jr. | Bethel
The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993, is awarded to the most outstanding NCAA Division III football player and recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. The award is named after John Gagliardi, Saint John's legendary Hall of Fame football coach who passed away at the age of 91 in 2018. John retired in 2012 with 489 career victories, the most in college football history.
Stearns Bank's longtime CEO Norm Skalicky and Gagliardi were great friends and admirers of one another. Both became legends in their respective fields - not just because of their success, but because of how they looked uniquely upon their work.
The Gagliardi Trophy national-selection committee is comprised of 18 Division III coaches (three from each NCAA Region), six Division III administrators (one from each region), 12 regional notable voters (two from each region) and six national voters which included a "fan" vote which ran until December 15th. No Saint John's J-Club members vote as part of the national-selection committee.
Gagliardi Trophy note:
• Dec. 9 of this year, Gagliardi Trophy winner (2003) Blake Elliott of Saint John's University was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Foundation event in Las Vegas. Elliott is the first Gagliardi Trophy winner to enter the College Football Hall of Fame
About Stearns Bank N.A.
Minnesota-based Stearns Bank National Association is a $3 billion, independently-owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide, in every state across the U.S. Recognized as having a bullet-proof balance sheet with 25% capital and earning top rankings as one of the nation's highest-performing banks by American Banker, and most recently ranked fourth in the U.S. among banks having more than $1 billion in assets by Independent Banker's 2023 Best of the Best ranking of banks with the highest 3-year average Return on Assets, Stearns Bank specializes in nationwide commercial construction lending, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and equipment financing. Driven by a passion to help others achieve their greatest ambitions, Stearns Bank's mission is to Get the Job Done! For more information, visit StearnsBank.com.
About the Saint John's University J-Club
Founded in 1959, the Saint John's University J-Club is a dues-based booster organization of former Johnnie student-athletes, parents, and fans, and plays a key role in support of the SJU varsity programs, intramurals and club sports. Saint John's is a private liberal arts college for men located in Collegeville, Minn.
Gagliardi Trophy Recipients
2025 - Kaleb Blaha, QB, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
2024 - Luke Lehnen, QB, North Central College (Ill.)
2023 - Luke Lehnen, QB, North Central College (Ill.)
2022 - Ethan Greenfield, RB, North Central College (Ill.)
2021 - Blaine Hawkins, QB, Central College (Iowa)
2020 - Not awarded due to pandemic
2019 - Broc Rutter, QB, North Central College (Ill.)
2018 - Jackson Erdmann, QB, Saint John's University (Minn.)
2017 - Brett Kasper, QB, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
2016 - Carter Hanson, LB, Saint John's University (Minn.)
2015 - Joe Callahan, QB, Wesley College (Del.)
2014 - Kevin Burke, QB, University of Mount Union (Ohio)
2013 - Kevin Burke, QB, University of Mount Union (Ohio)
2012 - Scottie Williams, RB, Elmhurst College (Ill.)
2011 - Michael Zweifel, WR, University of Dubuque (Iowa)
2010 - Eric Watt, QB, Trine University (Ind.)
2009 - Blaine Westemeyer, OL, Augustana College (Ill.)
2008 - Greg Micheli, QB, Mount Union College (Ohio)
2007 - Justin Beaver, RB, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
2006 - Josh Brehm, QB, Alma College (Mich.)
2005 - Brett Elliott, QB, Linfield College (Ore.)
2004 - Rocky Myers, SS, Wesley College (Del.)
2003 - Blake Elliott, WR/PR/KR, Saint John's University (Minn.)
2002 - Dan Pugh, RB, Mount Union College (Ohio)
2001 - Chuck Moore, RB, Mount Union College (Ohio)
2000 - Chad Johnson, QB, Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.)
1999 - Danny Ragsdale, QB, University of Redlands (Calif.)
1998 - Scott Hvistendahl, WR/P, Augsburg College (Minn.)
1997 - Bill Borchert, QB, Mount Union College (Ohio)
1996 - Lon Erickson, QB, Illinois Wesleyan University
1995 - Chris Palmer, WR, Saint John's University (Minn.)
1994 - Carey Bender, RB, Coe College (Iowa)
1993 - Jim Ballard, QB, Mount Union College (Ohi
