The 1999 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 1999, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1999 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
The Pacific Lutheran Lutes won their first Division III championship by defeating the Rowan Profs, 42−13. The Lutes were led by All-American quarterback Chad Johnson, running back Anthony Hicks and offensive lineman Andrew Finstuen. College Football Hall of Fame coach Frosty Westering won his fourth national championship.
The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Danny Ragsdale, quarterback from Redlands.
Conference standings
Conference champions Conference championsAmerican Southwest Conference – Hardin–Simmons Atlantic Central Football Conference – Frostburg State Centennial Conference – Western Maryland College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL) Freedom Football Conference – Western Connecticut State Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference – Hanover Illini-Badger Football Conference – Aurora Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wartburg Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Albion, Alma, and Hope Middle Atlantic Conference – Lycoming Midwest Conference – St. Norbert Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN) New England Football Conference – Salve Regina (Blue Division), Bridgewater State (Red Division) New Jersey Athletic Conference – Montclair State North Coast Athletic Conference – Wittenberg Northwest Conference – Willamette Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Catholic Presidents' Athletic Conference – Washington & Jefferson Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Redlands Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Trinity (TX) University Athletic Association – Washington–Saint Louis Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Mount Senario Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference – RPI Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse and Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Postseason The 1999 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 27th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia for the seventh time. This was the first bracket to feature 28 teams after expanding from the previous format of 16 teams in place from 1985 to 1998. With the new format, four teams were given byes to the second round.
Playoff bracket
* Overtime
Final AFCA Top 25 Poll Team Final Record Points 1. Pacific Lutheran (45) 13-1 1,125 2. Rowan 12–1 1,074 3. Mount Union 12–1 1,035 4. Trinity(TX) 12–1 990 5. Ohion Northern 11–2 870 6. Hardin-Simmons 12–1 859 7. St. John's 11–2 809 8. Montclair State 9–2 752 9. Western Maryland 11–1 750 10. Wittenberg 11–1 717 11. Central(IA) 10–2 617 12. Wartburg 10–1 582 13. Augustana 9–2 526 14. Western Connecticut 10–1 510 15. Lycoming 9–1 473 16. Washington & Jefferson 9–3 400 17. Hanover 10–1 377 18. Catholic 9–2 364 19. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 9–2 356 20. Rensselaer 9–1 256 21. Ursinus 10–2 249 22. St. Norbert 9–2 183 23. Bridgewater State 10–1 139 24. Willamette 7–4 132 25. Wisconsin-La Crosse 7–4 124 Others receiving votes: Buffalo St 118, Alma 109, Washington (Mo.) 85, Wilmington 13, McMurry 9, Redlands 9, Union 9, Pomona-Pitzer 5, Aurora 5, Millikin 4, Williams 3, John Carroll 3, Otterbein 1.
Awards Gagliardi Trophy: Danny Ragsdale, Redlands
AFCA Coach of the Year: Larry Kehres, Mount Union
AFCA Regional Coach of the Year: Region 1: Peter Mazzaferro, Bridgewater State Region 2: Frank Girardi, Lycoming Region 3: Steve Mohr, Trinity (TX) Region 4: Larry Kehres, Mount Union Region 5: Rick Willis, Wartburg
1999 All-American Team
Offense
Quarterback
Mike Burton, Trinity(TX) (AFCA, D3) Justin Peery, Westminster (FG)
Running Back
R.J. Bowers, Grove City (AFCA, APL, D3, FG(as Fullback)) Casey Donaldson, Wittenberg (AFCA, FG) Jamal Robertson, Ohio Northern (FG) Paul Smith, Gettysburg (D3)
Wide Receiver
Matt Perceval, Wesleyan (AFCA) Steve Vagedes, Ohio Northern (AFCA) Sean Eaton, Randolph-Macon (AFCA, D3) Scott Pingel, Westminster (APL, D3, FG) Matt Eisenberg, Juniata (FG)
Tight End
Jeff Irne, Ithaca (D3) Jeff Pedersen, Grinnell College (FG)
Offensive Line
Gary Gutierrez, Hardin-Simmons (AFCA, APL, FG) Chico Rowland, Bethel(MN) (AFCA, D3) Anthony Weigleb, Hanover (AFCA) Antonio Crook, Sewanee (AFCA) Sean McCullin, Wesley (AFCA) MacKenzie Hay, Augustana (D3) Jarryn Avery, Rowan (D3,FG) Tom Bauer, Mount Union (D3, FG) David Coney, Trinity(TX) (D3,FG) Kory Allen, Ohio Northern (FG)
Defense
Defensive Line
Joe Green, Wisconsin-River Falls (AFCA) Brock Ryan, Wisconsin-La Crosse (AFCA) Cameron Coleman, Lycoming (AFCA) Tim Runnalls, Washington(MO) (AFCA, APL, FG) Justin Harris, Alma (D3) Keith Fischer, Dickinson (D3) David Monaghan, Allegheny (D3) Anthony Souhrada, Wartburg (D3) Greg Boucher, Western Connecticut State (FG) Jeramy Benson (FG) Cornelius White, Rowan (FG)
Linebacker
Jon Crumley, Buffalo State (AFCA, D3) John Gavlick, Rowan (AFCA, APL, D3, FG) Seth Duerr, Wooster (AFCA) Brian Hee, Catholic (AFCA) Dan Philips, Chicago (D3) Ryan Deck, Trinity(TX) (FG) Brandon Novak, St John's (FG) Tom Eisenhower, Widener (FG)
Defensive Back
Charles Peterson, Emory & Henry (AFCA, D3) Zak Gordon, Coe (AFCA) Tom Rini, John Carroll (AFCA) Clinton Tabb, Rowan (D3) Marvin Deal, Western Maryland (D3) Mike Fowler, Ohio Wesleyan (D3) Antonio Nash, Susquehanna (FG) Jeremy Presar, Ohio Northern (FG) Chris Swartz, RPI (FG) Andy Palzkill, Wisconsin-Stevens Point (FG)
Special Teams
Kicker
Ryan Geisler, California Lutheran (AFCA) Chris Baughman, Wheaton (D3, FG)
Punter
Phil Barry, St. John's (AFCA, D3) Steve Vagedes, Ohio Northern (FG)
Return Specialist
Paul Smith, Gettysburg (AFCA) Joshua Carter, Muhlenberg (D3, FG)
See also 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season 1999 NCAA Division II football season
References