NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION RELEASE
Award Honors the Top Football Scholar-Athlete in the Country.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Bentley's Andrew Brazicki and Stonehill's Derek Ivey are part of a record-class of semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy Presented by Mazda, one of college football's most coveted awards, as announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame on Thursday.
Brazicki and Ivey represent the Northeast-10 Conference among an all-time record 199 semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy, which celebrates its 31st year of existence. Just 20 student-athletes from Division II were selected.
The Campbell Trophy recognizes the top football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. The NFF will announce 12-to-14 finalists in November and each will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class.
Later this year, one member of the class will be declared as the winner and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000, while receiving his own 25-pound bronze version of the iconic statue of the late Bill Campbell – All-Ivy League player and captain of Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship team. For more information on Campbell, click here.
Brazicki, a corporate finance and accounting major, is a senior running back from Franklin Park, N.J. He has accounted for 337 carries, 1,552 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 29 receptions, 373 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in his first three seasons with the Falcons. He is a two-time NE10 Academic All-Conference Team member.
Ivey, a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in 2019, is a senior offensive lineman from Newtown, Conn. He is an economics major at Stonehill and is coming off a season where he landed on the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team. He played in all 10 games last season, helping the Skyhawks to become the top rushing team in conference play.
"This is terrific news. To set a record for the number of Campbell nominees is extra special during the pandemic because it shows how the stature of the award continues to rise even during these challenging times," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "We believe (the award) sends an important message to the younger student-athletes that you can truly do it all, succeeding on the field, in the classroom and as leaders in the community."
Candidates for the award are nominated by their schools and must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, 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.
ABOUT THE NE10
Beginning its 40th anniversary season, the NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
