The 2019-2020 athletic seasons culminated with an early conclusion due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) but leading up to the abrupt end of the athletic season, AU was in the middle of one of the most successful years in the history of Aurora University Athletics. With those successful team achievements comes the recognition of the athletes that made the success possible, starting with the Aurora University Male Athlete of the Year. The award, as voted on by staff members of the AU Athletic Department, will be presented to junior football student-athleteÂ
Gavin Zimbelman.
Zimbelman adds the top AU athletic honor to an already lengthy list of noteworthy accomplishments following his record setting 2019 campaign.
He was selected as a 2019 Gagliardi Trophy Finalist, a CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America quarterback, D3football.com Honorable Mention All-American. a third-team all-region quarterback by D3football.com, the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Year and All-Conference. Zimbelman is the first Spartan to advance to the semifinal or final stage of the Gagliardi award process.
On the 2019 season, Zimbelman completed 280 of 441 passes for 3,614 yards with 57 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and ran for 414 yards and four touchdowns. He finished among the Division III national leaders in passing touchdowns (57), points responsible for (368), points responsible for per game (33.5), total offense (366.2 per game), passing yards (3,614), passing yards per game (328.5) and completions per game (25.45).
The Spartans finished the 2019 campaign with a 9-2 record and an appearance in the 2019 NCAA Division III playoffs. The Spartans pushed St. John's to the brink in the first round of the NCAA postseason. Champions of the 2019 NACC, the Aurora University football team headed to the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the fifth time in program history and first since 2008. The Spartans finished a perfect 7-0 to win the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship.
