BROOKFIELD, Ill. – Harding head coach Paul Simmons was named the 2025 Don Hansen National Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons, highlighting a group of seven Bisons honored on the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America Team released Thursday.

Simmons, who previously won the award during Harding's 2023 national championship campaign, has led the Bisons to a perfect 15-0 record and a berth in Saturday's title game against No. 1 Ferris State. Under his guidance, the Bisons secured their third straight Great American Conference championship and have maintained a top-2 national ranking throughout the postseason.

Junior fullback Andrew Miller was the lone Bison named to the First Team. Miller, a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, has rushed for 1,978 yards and scored a school-record 27 rushing touchdowns this season.

Harding placed three players on the Second Team. Senior slotback Braden Jay and senior offensive lineman Jake Mitchell represented the offense, while senior linebacker Clark Griffin was selected for the defense.

Jay, the GAC Offensive Player of the Year, averages a career-record 12.5 yards per carry, while Mitchell, a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, anchors an offensive line that has set NCAA all-division records for rushing yards and touchdowns. Griffin, the GAC Defensive Player of the Year, leads Division II with 156 tackles.

Three additional Bisons received Honorable Mention recognition: senior offensive lineman Mike Ericson, sophomore offensive lineman Cobe Williams, and senior defensive back Ty Dugger.

The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away in 2010. Hansen started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.

Harding faces Ferris State in the NCAA Division II National Championship game Saturday at 3 p.m. in McKinney, Texas.