Hagerstown’s Owen Golliher with his parents Chuck and Lori Golliher.
HAGERSTOWN, Ind. – Owen Golliher, who was the Tri-Eastern Conference Player of the Year for football in 2017, is headed to Marian University in the fall.
“I chose Marian is because of the great tradition of football and the exceptional educational opportunities,” said Golliher, who along with teammate Jalen Oliver announced their plans on Tuesday.
“I’m very excited to be playing at Marian University,” Golliher continued. “They have a rich football tradition winning two of the three NAIA National Championships they have appeared in; winning in 2012 and 2015.”
Located in Indianapolis, Marian was ranked No. 18 under head coach Mark Henninger as the Knights 7-3 last season. The NAIA school competes in the Mid-States Football Association.
“I am really excited for them because Marian is a dominant program year in and year out,” Hagerstown Head Coach Scott Snodgrass said. “The amount of work ethic, attitude, and leadership skills that both have developed over the years will allow them to impact the program positively in every way. They are both just excellent young men.”
A four-year starter at quarterback, Golliher completed 124-of-203 passes for 1,891 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also rushed for 849 yards with 16 scores and caught a 50-yard touchdown pass in the sectional.
“Owen was a dual threat QB, who has broken every record in Hagerstown’s rich football history,” Snodgrass said. “He is a tough and aggressive runner with an excellent second burst and top speed. He plays with great effort and is throws well on the run or while under pressure.”
Defensively, Golliher was third on the team with 94 tackles and he added an interception.
“He plays with both mental and physical toughness,” Snodgrass said. “He is the type of player that teams can be built around, but who will also play any role that is asked of him.”
Undecided about his academic future, Golliher feels ready for the transition to the next level on the field.
“High school athletics can take you as far as you want them to as long as you’re willing to go the extra mile,” the son of Chuck and Lori Golliher said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have great coaching that has molded me into being a coachable and hardworking leader.”
In his career, Golliher completed 364-of-693 passes for 5,153 yards and 46 touchdowns. He finished with 1,000-yard rushing seasons during his freshman and junior years to total 3,784 yards on the ground with 63 scores.
As a defense back, he had 281 tackles and three interceptions.
Golliher is also a member of Hagerstown’s baseball program and he earned the TEC Player of the Year honor as a sophomore in 2016.