Wednesday 09/25/2024
The National Football Foundation announced today that Clemson running back Phil Mafah has been named a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy. Mafah earned a degree in management in May 2024 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in athletic leadership.
A full press release with additional information from the NFF is included below.
IRVING, Texas (Sept. 25, 2024) – The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) proudly announced today a record number of 203 semifinalists for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award. The new highwater mark eclipses the 201 nominees in 2023. The impressive list of candidates, from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boasts an impressive 3.63 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor’s degrees.
Celebrating its 35th year, the Campbell Trophy® recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
2024 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS NOTES– 35th year of the William V. Campbell Trophy®– 66th year of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments– 203 Semifinalists– 3.63 Average GPA– 124 Nominees who have already earned their bachelor’s degrees– 7 Nominees who have earned a master’s degree– 3 Nominees with a perfect 4.0 GPA– 48 Nominees with a 3.8 GPA or better– 91 Nominees with a 3.7 GPA or better– 26 Academic All-America selections– 128 Captains– 31 All-Americans– 129 All-Conference picks
“These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “The Campbell Trophy® continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year’s candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow’s world.”
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 23, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 35th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. Click here for more information on the Awards Dinner, including options to purchase tickets online, special travel rates to the event from Delta Air Lines and room rates at the Bellagio.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior who will complete his final year of eligibility in the 2024 season or graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and participating in the 2024 season; have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor; and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s semifinalists, who embody the true spirit of the Campbell Trophy®,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of this prestigious award, their achievements remind us of the profound impact scholar-athletes have, not just on their teams, but on the communities they serve and the careers they pursue after football. The NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the finalists from this outstanding group of candidates.”
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 66th year in 2024. The awards were the first initiative in history to grant postgraduate scholarships based on both a player’s academic and athletic accomplishments, and the NFF has recognized 922 outstanding individuals since the program’s inception. This year’s postgraduate scholarships will push the program’s all-time distribution to more than $12.9 million.
The Campbell Trophy® was first awarded in 1990, adding to the program’s prestige. Past recipients include two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, two Heisman Trophy winners and nine first-round NFL draft picks. Named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, the trophy has been prominently displayed inside its official home at the New York Athletic Club since 2013, and the winner is honored each year during a special luncheon at the storied venue.
Known as “The Coach of Silicon Valley,” Campbell became one of our country’s most influential business leaders, playing critical roles in the success of Apple, Google, Intuit and countless other high-tech companies. The captain of the 1961 Columbia Ivy League championship team, he found his true calling after an unlikely career change at age 39 from football coach to advertising executive. His ability to recruit, develop, and manage talented executives – all lessons learned on the gridiron – proved to be a critical component of his ability to inspire his business teams to the highest levels of success.
Later in life, Campbell was driven by a heartfelt desire to give back, and he quietly gave away tens of millions of dollars to multiple charities while also finding an hour and half each autumn weekday to coach an eighth-grade boys and girls flag-football team near his home in Palo Alto, California. Campbell passed away April 18, 2016, at the age of 75.
As part of its support of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, Fidelity Investments helped launch the NFF Faculty Salutes, which recognize the contributions of the faculty athletics representatives at each of the institutions with a finalist for the Campbell Trophy®. Once the finalists are selected, the NFF will present each of their faculty athletics representatives with a plaque and Fidelity will donate $5,000 for the academic support services at each school. The salutes have recognized 184 FARs since the program’s inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $920,000 in donations.
2024 Campbell Trophy® Semifinalists by Division and Position– 95 Nominees from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)– 41 Nominees from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)– 18 Nominees from NCAA Division II– 44 Nominees from NCAA Division III– 5 Nominees from the NAIA– 110 Offensive Players– 78 Defensive Players– 15 Special Teams Players
2024 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS
FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISIONAlabama – Jalen MilroeAppalachian State – Eli WilsonArizona – Josh BakerArizona State – Leif FautanuArkansas – Hudson ClarkArkansas State – Jacob BayerAuburn – Oscar ChapmanBoise State – Alexander TeubnerBowling Green State – Demetrius HardamonBuffalo – Dom PolizziBYU – Connor PayCalifornia – Craig WoodsonCentral Michigan – Dominic SerapigliaClemson – Phil MafahColorado State – Tory HortonDuke – Jordan MooreEastern Michigan – Jere GetzingerFlorida – Graham MertzFlorida Atlantic – Federico MarangesFlorida State – Robert Scott Jr.Fresno State – Mose VavoGeorgia Southern – Kyle FrazierGeorgia State – Gavin PringleGeorgia Tech – Henry FreerHawai’i – Logan TaylorIllinois – Ryan MeedIndiana – Cooper JonesIowa – Luke LacheyIowa State – Beau FreylerKansas – Jared CaseyKansas State – Austin MooreKentucky – Alex RaynorLiberty – Quinton CooleyLouisiana Monroe – Sam CarsonLouisville – Ashton GillotteLSU – Josh WilliamsMarshall – Logan OsburnMaryland – Dante Trader Jr.Memphis – Anthony LandphereMichigan – Josh PriebeMichigan State – Maverick HansenMiddle Tennessee State – Devyn CurtisMinnesota – Danny StriggowMississippi – Jaxson DartMississippi State – Blake ShapenMissouri – Brady CookNebraska – Isaac GiffordNevada, Las Vegas – Jackson WoodardNew Mexico – Aaron RodriguezNorth Carolina – J.J. JonesNorth Carolina State – Timothy McKayNorth Texas – Jett DuncanNorthern Illinois – J.J. LippeNorthwestern – Xander MuellerNotre Dame – Jack KiserOhio State – Seth McLaughlinOklahoma – Zach SchmitOklahoma State – Alan BowmanOld Dominion – Jason HendersonOregon – Dillon GabrielOregon State – Dylan BlackPenn State – Tyler WarrenPittsburgh – Terrence MoorePurdue – Gus HartwigRice – Christian FranciscoRutgers – Reggie SuttonSMU – Jake BaileySouth Alabama – Jaden VoisinSouth Carolina – Tonka HemingwaySouthern California – Jonah MonheimSouthern Mississippi – Chandler PittmanStanford – Tristan SinclairSyracuse – Derek McDonaldTCU – Jaise OliverTemple – Dante WrightTennessee – Keenan PiliTexas – Jake MajorsTexas A&M – Randy BondTexas State – Nash JonesTexas Tech – Tahj BrooksToledo – Maxen HookTulane – Ethan HudakUCF – Ethan BarrUnited States Air Force Academy – Matthew DaporeUnited States Naval Academy – Riley RiethmanUtah – Karene ReidUtah State – Broc LaneUTSA (Texas at San Antonio) – Oscar CardenasVirginia – Brian StevensVirginia Tech – Cole NelsonWake Forest – Taylor MorinWashington State – Dean JanikowskiWest Virginia – Garrett GreeneWisconsin – Hunter WohlerWyoming – Will Pelissier
FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION (FCS)Austin Peay State – Chandler KirtonBrown – Caleb MoorheadBucknell – Brad JamisonColgate – Nick MarshColumbia – Patrick PassalacquaCornell – Matthew PilcDartmouth – Braden MullenDayton – Dylan DeMaisonDelaware – Tyron HerringEast Tennessee State – William McRaineyEastern Illinois – Elkhanan TanelusEastern Washington – Efton Chism IIIElon – Caleb CurtainFordham – James ConwayHarvard – Dominic Young-SmithHoly Cross – Jordan FullerHoward – Terrance HollonIllinois State – Hunter ZambranoJackson State – Matthew NollLamar – Robert ColemanLehigh – Mike DeNucciMarist – Gannon McCorkleMonmouth – Jack NeriMontana – Trevin GradneyMontana State – Brody GrebeNew Hampshire – Ryan ToscanoNicholls State – Collin GuggenheimNorth Dakota – Jaden NorbyNorth Dakota State – Cam MillerPennsylvania – Julian TalleyRichmond – Wayne GallowaySouth Dakota State – Mark GronowskiStony Brook – RJ LamarreTennessee at Chattanooga – Reuben Lowery IIITennessee Tech – Hayden OlsenTexas A&M-Commerce – Jewelz-Unique DempsTowson – Chris WatkinsValparaiso – Sam HafnerWestern Carolina – Micah NelsonWilliam & Mary – Ryan McKennaYale – Bennie Anderson
DIVISION IIAshland (OH) – Tony PannunzioBentley (MA) – Joe RiversBlack Hills State (SD) – Aaron ThieleCarson-Newman (TN) – Major WilliamsColorado State Pueblo – Jon NuschyEast Stroudsburg (PA) – John SigginsHillsdale (MI) – Logan VanEnkevortMinnesota State, Mankato – Marshall FoernerNew Haven (CT) – Joseph VitaleNorthern State (SD) – Jacob SchloeNorthwest Missouri State – Andrew DumasOuachita Baptist (AR) – Kendel GivensPenn Western, California – Jaheim BasshamPittsburg State (KS) – Chad DodsonSlippery Rock (PA) – Brayden LongSouthwest Baptist (MO) – Logan TurnerWayne State (MI) – Griffin MilovanskiWingate (NC) – Trevor Bryan
DIVISION IIIAllegheny (PA) – Carson MessemerBerry (GA) – Hayden CagleBethel (MN) – Nate FarmBluffton (OH) – Kainan StonerCarnegie Mellon (PA) – Robert CouryCentral (IA) – Grant NelsonCoe (IA) – Alex AitchisonCornell (IA) – Tony GomezDePauw (IN) – Jonathan BruderGallaudet (DC) – John ScarboroGustavus Adolphus (MN) – Jake BreitbachHampden-Sydney (WI) – Will ThomasHardin-Simmons (TX) – Cason HannaHendrix (AR) – Kanyn UtleyHobart (NY) – Ethan KowalskiHope (MI) – Dylan ClemJohn Carroll (OH) – Matt WratherJohns Hopkins (MD) – Bay HarveyKing’s (PA) – Jared RetoLake Forest (IL) – Sean BradyLycoming (PA) – Jake WelchLyon (AR) – Slayton WheelerMary Hardin-Baylor (TX) – Johnny Smith-RiderMillsaps (MS) – Preston HillMoravian (PA) – Prince SokpoNorth Central (IA) – Luke LehnenSaint John’s (MN) – Aaron SyversonSpringfield (MA) – Arsen ShtefanSt. Olaf (MN) – Theodore DoranSUNY Cortland – Zac BoyesTexas Lutheran – Mason HardyTrinity (CT) – Sean ClappU.S. Merchant Marine Academy (NY) – Cameron TaylorWashington & Jefferson (PA) – Dawson DietzWesleyan (CT) – Sean WalkerWestern New England (MA) – Jason ShumillaWestminster (PA) – Matthew HowardWheaton (IL) – Giovanni WeeksWisconsin-Oshkosh – John SchirgerWisconsin-River Falls – Aaron BorgerdingWisconsin-Stout – Luke MertensWisconsin-Whitewater – Matthew BurbaWooster (OH) – Andrew HammerWorcester Polytechnic Institute (MA) – Doug Cain
NAIACarroll (MT) – Hunter PeckDakota State (SD) – Collin BrueggemanEvangel (MO) – Nate SwoffordIndiana Wesleyan – Levi TidwellTexas Wesleyan – Jaysen Price
Historical List of Campbell Trophy® Winners1990 – Chris Howard (Air Force)1991 – Brad Culpepper (Florida)1992 – Jim Hansen (Colorado)1993 – Thomas Burns (Virginia)1994 – Rob Zatechka (Nebraska)1995 – Bobby Hoying (Ohio State)1996 – Danny Wuerffel (Florida)1997 – Peyton Manning (Tennessee)1998 – Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia)1999 – Chad Pennington (Marshall)2000 – Kyle Vanden Bosch (Nebraska)2001 – Joaquin Gonzalez (Miami [FL])2002 – Brandon Roberts (Washington U. in St. Louis [MO])2003 – Craig Krenzel (Ohio State)2004 – Michael Munoz (Tennessee)2005 – Rudy Niswanger (LSU)2006 – Brian Leonard (Rutgers)2007 – Dallas Griffin (Texas)2008 – Alex Mack (California)2009 – Tim Tebow (Florida)2010 – Sam Acho (Texas)2011 – Andrew Rodriguez (Army West Point)2012 – Barrett Jones (Alabama)2013 – John Urschel (Penn State)2014 – David Helton (Duke)2015 – Ty Darlington (Oklahoma)2016 – Zach Terrell (Western Michigan)2017 – Micah Kiser (Virginia)2018 – Christian Wilkins (Clemson)2019 – Justin Herbert (Oregon)2020 – Brady White (Memphis)2021 – Charlie Kolar (Iowa State)2022 – Jack Campbell (Iowa)2023 – Bo Nix (Oregon)
About The National College Football Awards AssociationThe William V. Campbell Trophy® is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 900 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAMEFounded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; I Played; the William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob’s Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hampshire Companies, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal.
December 8, 2024
