[Football] Slavens Earns Cliff Harris Award Nomination

Little Rock, AR –  Grand View football's Ben Slavens (JR/Bettendorf, IA./ Pleasant Valley HS) was recognized for his performance in the 2018 season as a nominee of the sixth annual CLIFF HARRIS AWARD announced by The Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings. | COMPLETE LIST |

Slavens was voted as the Defensive Player of the Year for the North Division of the Heart of America Conference and also earned AFCA NAIA All-America Second Team honors announced earlier this month. The Pleasant Valley product led the Vikings in tackles with 119 on the season. Slavens' 10.8 tackles/game was the 11th-most in the NAIA. Slavens also led the Vikings tackles for loss and sacks with 15.5 and 4 respectively.

This award is presented to the nation's top small college defensive player representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities. A prestigious selection committee made up of former college and pro football greats will select the winner. In addition to the CLIFF HARRIS AWARD overall winner, the individual with the top votes in each division will also be announced.

Finalists for the award will be released in one week and the CLIFF HARRIS AWARD winner will be announced on Dec. 24 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet on January 10, 2018. The winner will receive the $3,000 CLIFF HARRIS AWARD trophy presented by Cliff Harris and guest speaker Barry Sanders. Previous winners include Pierre Desir, Lindenwood University, Darius Allen, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Marqui Christian, Mid-Western State University, Connor Harris, Lindenwood University and Michael Joseph of University of Dubuque.