2009 NCAA Division II football season
Introduction The '''2009 NCAA Division II football season''', part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on August 29, 2009, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 12, 2009 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats defeated the Grand Valley State, 30–23, to win their third Division II national title.The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Joique Bell, running back from Wayne State.
Conference and program changes  School  Former conference  New conference Incarnate Word Cardinals  ''New program''  Independent New Haven Chargers  ''New program''  NE10 Ohio Dominican Panthers  MSFA (NAIA)  Independent Urbana Blue Knights  Independent (NAIA)  Independent Western Washington Vikings  GNAC  ''Dropped program''Lake Erie completed their transition to Division II and became eligible for the postseason.
Conference standings ===Super Region 1======Super Region 2======Super Region 3======Super Region 4===
Conference summaries  Conference championsCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Fayetteville StateGreat Lakes Football Conference –Saint Joseph's (IN)Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Grand Valley StateGreat Northwest Athletic Conference – Central WashingtonGulf South Conference – North AlabamaLone Star Conference – Midwestern State, Tarleton State, and Texas A&M–KingsvilleMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Northwest Missouri StateNortheast-10 Conference – Bentley, Merrimack, and Southern Connecticut StateNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–DuluthPennsylvania State Athletic Conference – ShippensburgRocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Nebraska–KearneySouth Atlantic Conference – Carson-NewmanSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – TuskegeeWest Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – West Liberty
Postseason The '''2009 NCAA Division II National Football Championship playoffs''' involved 24 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football.The tournament began on November 14, 2009 and will conclude on December 13, 2009 with the 2009 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game at Braly Municipal Stadium near the campus of the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.
Participants  School  Conference Season record Abilene ChristianLone Star Conference8–3Albany StateSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference8–2Arkansas TechGulf South Conference8–2California (PA)Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference8–3Carson-NewmanSouth Atlantic Conference9–2Central WashingtonGreat Northwest Athletic Conference11–0East StroudsburgPennsylvania State Athletic Conference8–3EdinboroPennsylvania State Athletic Conference 8–3Fayetteville StateCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association8–3Grand Valley StateGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference10–1HillsdaleGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference9–2MidwesternLone Star Conference9–2Minnesota DuluthNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference10–1Minnesota State, MankatoNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 10–1Nebraska–KearneyRocky Mountain Athletic Conference10–1UNC - PembrokeIndependent9–1North AlabamaGulf South Conference10–1Northwest Mo.Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association10–1Saginaw ValleyGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference9–2ShippensburgPennsylvania State Athletic Conference9–2Tarleton StateLone Star Conference9–2Texas A&M - KingsvilleLone Star Conference9–2West AlabamaGulf South Conference7–4West LibertyWest Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference10–1===Bids by conference=== Conference TotalSchools Super Region Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association1 Fayetteville State1 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference3 Grand Valley StateHillsdaleSaginaw Valley3 Great Northwest Athletic Conference 1 Central Washington 4 Gulf South Conference3 Arkansas TechNorth AlabamaWest Alabama2 Independent1 UNC - Pembroke2 Lone Star Conference 4 Abilene ChristianMidwestern StateTarleton StateTexas A&M - Kingsville4 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association1 Northwest Missouri State4 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference2 Minnesota-DuluthMinnesota-Mankato3 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference4 California (PA)East StroudsburgEdinboroShippensburg1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference1 Nebraska–Kearney3 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference1 Albany State University2 South Atlantic Conference1 Carson-Newman College2 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference1 West Liberty1
Playoff format The first-round games were conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions as determined by the NCAA Division II Football Committee. Two teams in each super regional earned first-round byes. The first-round winners advanced to face a bye team in their super regional. Second-round winners met in the quarterfinals and quarterfinal winners advanced to play in the semifinals.First-round, second-round, quarterfinal and semifinal games were played on the campus of one of the competing institutions as determined by the NCAA Division II Football Committee. The home team at the championship was determined by the Division II Football Committee and the Shoals National Championship Committee.
National television coverage The semifinal games were broadcast on ESPN, ESPN360, and CBS College Sports on December 5.The championship game was played at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama and broadcast live on ESPN2 on December 12.
Tournament notes ===Final standings=== Place School 1st Northwest Missouri State University 2nd Grand Valley State University 3rd California (PA) Carson-Newman 5th Central Washington Minnesota Duluth North Alabama West Liberty 9th Abilene Christian Arkansas Tech Edinboro Hillsdale Nebraska–Kearney Shippensburg Tarleton State West Alabama 17th Albany State East Stroudsburg Fayetteville State Midwestern Minnesota State UNC - Pembroke Saginaw Valley Texas A&M - Kingsville=== Bracket and standings =======Super Regional 1========Super Regional 4========Super Regional 3========Super Regional 2========Semifinals and championship=======Individual game results=======Round 1=========Saginaw Valley vs. Nebraska–Kearney==========Hillsdale vs. Minn. St. Mankato==========Arkansas Tech vs. UNC-Pembroke==========West Alabama vs. Albany State==========Edinboro vs. East Stroudsburg==========Fayetteville State vs. California (PA)==========Tarleton State vs. Texas A&M - Kingsville==========Abilene Christian vs. Midwestern State=========Round 2=========Nebraska–Kearney vs. Minnesota Duluth==========Hillsdale vs. Grand Valley State==========Arkansas Tech vs. North Alabama==========West Alabama vs. Carson-Newman==========Edinboro vs. West Liberty=====An NCAA Division II record for combined points (147) and yards (1,394) was set during the game. Edinboro quarterback Trevor Harris set the Division II record for passing, completing 50 of 76 passes for 630 yards and 5 touchdowns.=====California (PA) vs. Shippensburg==========Tarleton State vs. Central Washington==========Abilene Christian vs. Northwest Missouri=========Super Regional finals=========Super Region 1: California (PA) vs. West Liberty==========Super Region 2: Carson-Newman vs. North Alabama==========Super Region 3: Grand Valley State vs. Minnesota Duluth==========Super Region 4: Northwest Missouri vs. Central Washington=========Semifinals=========Carson-Newman vs. Grand Valley St.==========California (PA) vs. Northwest Missouri=========Championship====
See also *2009 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game* 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season* 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season* 2009 NCAA Division III football season* 2009 NAIA football season
References