DALLAS, Texas – Clarion University senior strong safety Nick Sipes of Curwensville is one of a dozen NCAA Division II student-athletes among 121 semifinalists for the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy, according to a recent announcement by The National Football Foundation.
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has two other hopefuls in Slippery Rock senior kicking specialist C.J. Bahr of Boalsburg (State College Area High School) and East Stroudsburg redshirt senior linebacker Matt Freed of Souderton.
To be considered for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, players must be seniors or graduate students in their final year of eligibility and carrying a minimum of a 3.2 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Also, the committee also selects only those who are significant contributors to their team and demonstrate strong leadership and citizenship.
Finalists, with 15 the maximum, will be named during a national press conference set for Thursday, Oct. 28.
Each finalist will be considered a member of the 2010 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and will be awarded an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The winner of the Campbell Trophy will have his scholarship increased to $25,000 and will receive a 25-pound bronze trophy during a reception at the Foundation’s annual awards dinner on Dec. 7 in New York City.
Former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was the 2009 winner.
Division II had one finalist in Jarrell NeSmith of Tusculum (Tenn.) College.
The PSAC was represented by two semifinalists, Edinboro quarterback Trevor Harris and East Stroudsburg wide receiver Sam Shuman.
The NFF scholar-athlete program, founded in 1959, was the first initiative in history to award post-graduate scholarships based on a player’s academic and athletic accomplishments.
The Campbell Trophy was first awarded in 1990 and has honored two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, two Heisman Trophy winners and five first round National Football League draft picks in the last two decades.
Last year’s finalists had a combined 3.77 GPA and included seven Academic All-America student-athletes.
The 2010 semifinalists are 56 offensive players, 48 defensive players and 17 special teams players with a 3.58 GPA, 46 of whom boast a GPA of 3.7 or higher. There are 16 Academic All-Americans, 20 All-Americans, 69 All-Conference selections and 76 team captains.
Past recipients of the Campbell Trophy include Ohio State’s Bobby Hoying (1995), Florida’s Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tennessee’s Peyton Manning (1997), Marshall’s Chad Pennington (1999), Ohio State’s Craig Krenzel (2003) and Rutgers’ Brian Leonard (2006).
