OLATHE, Kan. - Tyler Emmert of Carroll College (Mont.) has been named the 2005 Rawlings-NAIA Football National Player of the Year.   This is the second time the senior quarterback has been awarded the honor, having been named in 2003 as well. 

Emmert led the Fighting Saints to a perfect 13-0 season record and to the title game of the NAIA Football Championship Series.  Carroll, in search of its fourth consecutive football national championship, will face University of St. Francis (Ind.) in the title game on Saturday.

A finalist for the coveted Draddy Trophy, Emmert had a record-setting season.  He broke the NAIA record for career yards with 13,681, shattering the old mark set by Central Washington University's Jon Kitna (1992-1995) of 12,907.  Emmert also set a new national record for career passing completions with 1,017.  The record was previously held by Dustin Dewald of Iowa Wesleyan College (1989-91) with 990.  Emmert's total is just 22 completions away from the all-time collegiate completions record.

Emmert is the ninth person to receive the Rawlings-NAIA Player of the Year honor since the award was first presented in 1997.  He becomes just the second player to receive the award twice.  Eddie Eviston from Georgetown College (Ky.) was a three-time winner in 1999, 2000 and 2001.