The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced Thursday the 2014 recipients of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments. The honorees also comprise the list of finalists for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently displayed at its official home inside the New York Athletic Club. The Campbell Trophy, which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2014, recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation, and it will be presented live to one member of the class on Dec. 9 during the 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.
David Helton, from Chattanooga, is one of the honorees.
Selected from a nationwide pool of 169 exceptional semifinalists covering all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, the 17 class members are:
“We are extremely proud to announce this year’s National Scholar-Athlete Class,” said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “These young men have an unrelenting commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, and they represent all that is right in college football. They serve as living examples of our mission of building leaders through football, and they create an exceptional pool of candidates for the Campbell Trophy.”
Each member of the 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class will travel to New York City to be honored Dec. 9 during the 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria where their accomplishments will be highlighted. They each will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and one member of the class will also be announced live at the event as the 25th recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation. The recipient of the Campbell Trophy will also be honored at the NFF Board of Directors meeting and at a reception hosted by the New York Athletic Club on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
Named in honor of Bill Campbell (the chairman of Intuit, a former player and head coach at Columbia University, and the 2004 recipient of the NFF’s Gold Medal), the award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $7,000 increase in postgraduate funds for a total scholarship of $25,000. A total distribution of $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening, pushing the program’s all-time distributions to more than $10.7 million.
“Jack Ford and the NFF Awards Committee did an excellent job in selecting this year’s National Scholar-Athletes,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell winner) and Eli were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “Selected from an impressive group of semifinalists, they should be extremely proud of their accomplishments, as they have undoubtedly distinguished themselves as some of the best student-athletes in the country. Each of these men is also a leader in his respective community, and we know that they have only begun to reach their potential.”
The NFF National Scholar-Athlete program, launched in 1959, became the first initiative in history to award scholar-athletes postgraduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. Including the 2014 recipients, the NFF has honored 804 individuals with National Scholar-Athlete Awards. The members of this year’s class find themselves among some of the most elite student-athletes in the history of the game. Past National Scholar-Athletes include former NFL standout Derrick Brooks (Florida State); Southern California Athletics Director Pat Haden (USC); actor Mark Harmon (UCLA); Hampden-Sydney College (Va.) President Chris Howard (Air Force); West Virginia Athletics Director Oliver Luck (West Virginia); NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond); chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, Billy Payne (Georgia); famed NFL quarterback Steve Young (BYU); and Heisman Trophy winners Doug Flutie (Boston College) and Tim Tebow (Florida).
In 2011, the NFF and Fidelity launched a multi-year initiative between the two organizations to celebrate the scholar-athlete ideal and a joint commitment to higher education. As part of the initiative, Fidelity became the first presenting sponsor ever in the history of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program. In 2014, Fidelity expanded its support, becoming the presenting sponsor of the William V. Campbell Trophy. Fidelity’s support also includes the NFF Faculty Salutes, which recognizes the contributions of the faculty athletics representatives at each of the institutions with an NFF National Scholar-Athlete. As part of the initiative, the NFF presents each of the faculty representatives with a plaque and a $5,000 check from Fidelity Investments, which is used to support the academic support services for student-athletes at each school.
2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Highlights
· 3.69 Average GPA
· 12-of-17 Team Captains, including six players who have been captains for two or more years
· 15-of-17 Academic All-Conference Athletes
· 15-of-17 All-Conference Athletes (including one all-independent selection)
· 8 Academic All-America Selections (Baggett, Hasquet, Leonard, Murphy, Richards, Sadler, Schaffitzel, Zenner)
· 2 Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year (Leonard, Rodgers)
· 6 All-America Picks (Lockett, Rodgers, Sadler, Schaffitzel, Varga, Zenner)
· 4 Conference Players of the Year (Damaschke, Lockett, Rodgers, Zenner)
· 9 School Record Holders (Baggett, Damaschke, Kelly, Leonard, Lockett, Rodgers, Schaffitzel, Varga, Zenner)
· 5 Players Currently Working on Postgraduate Degrees (Kelly, Rodgers, Sadler, Schaffitzel, Vitabile)
· 5 Members of Nationally Ranked Teams* (as of 10/26) (Kelly, Lockett, Rodgers, Sadler, Zenner)
· 9 Offensive Players (Baggett, Damaschke, Kelly, Leonard, Lockett, Rodgers, Varga, Vitabile, Zenner)
· 7 Defensive Players (Hasquet, Helton, Mancini, Moore, Murphy, Richards, Schaffitzel)
· 1 Special Teams Player (Sadler)
*FBS rankings based on FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The 169 semifinalists for the award were announced on Sept. 25, and 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.
In addition to the presentation of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards and the William V. Campbell Trophy, the 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner will include the induction of the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame Class and the presentation of several major awards, including the organization’s highest honor, the NFF Gold Medal.
Bios for the 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments
(In alphabetical order)
TERRY BAGGETT, RB
United States Military Academy
Chemical Engineering – 3.37 GPA
Head Coach: Jeff Monken
Athletics Director: Boo Corrigan
First Team Academic All-American
Unanimous FBS All-Independent selection and First Team Phil Steele All-Independent Team
Holds Army record for single-game rushing yards (304 against Eastern Michigan in 2013)
Volunteers with Special Olympics and Lutheran Child and Family Services
Becomes the 15th National Scholar-Athlete from Army
AUSTIN DAMASCHKE, QB
Concordia University Wisconsin
Biomedical Science – 3.67 GPA
Head Coach: Greg Etter
Athletics Director: Rob Barnhill
Three-time NACC Scholar-Athlete Award recipient & CUW Scholar-Athlete
2013 Gagliardi Trophy finalist and NACC Offensive Player of the Year
Boasts eight school records and conference career records for total offensive yards and pass completions
Team captain hosts football-sponsored blood drives and elementary school football camps
Becomes the first National Scholar-Athlete from Concordia (Wis.)
AUSTIN HASQUET, LB
Northern Arizona University
Biomedical Science – 3.97 GPA
Head Coach: Jerome Souers
Athletics Director: Lisa Campos
First Team Academic All-America and Academic All-District selection
Three-time Big Sky All-Academic and Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete selection
Two-year team captain has twice earned all-conference honors and currently leads the Lumberjacks with 72 tackles
Completed more than 50 hours of community service at NAU
Becomes the first National Scholar-Athlete from Northern Arizona
DAVID HELTON, LB
Duke University
Psychology – 3.64 GPA
Head Coach: David Cutcliffe
Athletics Director: Kevin White
First Team Academic All-District selection and three-time Academic All-ACC honoree
Led the ACC with 133 tackles and 9.5 tackles per game in 2013
Helped Duke to school-record 10 wins, ACC Coastal Division title and first-ever ACC Championship Game appearance in school history
Founder of the Blair Holliday Fund, a non-profit t-shirt company which raised more than $45,000 for roommate’s hospital recovery
Becomes the fifth National Scholar-Athlete from Duke
TAYLOR KELLY, QB
Arizona State University
Education – 3.31 GPA
Head Coach: Todd Graham
Athletics Director: Ray Anderson
Two-time Academic All-Pac-12 honoree graduated last May and is working toward a master’s of legal studies
Two-year team captain is only the second Sun Devil in history to have multiple seasons with 3,000-plus passing yards
All-Pac-12 performer holds multiple school records, including single-season completion percentage (67.1)
Member of the football team leadership council and a student ambassador at Arizona State
Becomes the fourth National Scholar-Athlete from Arizona State
NATE LEONARD, C
University of Texas at San Antonio
Physical Education – 3.99 GPA
Head Coach: Larry Coker
Athletics Director: Lynn Hickey
Academic All-American and Conference USA Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Two-time Academic All-District and Academic All-Conference selection
Only player in UTSA history to start every game of his career, registering a team-leading 70 knockdown blocks last season
Recipient of the 2013 UTSA Golden Feather Award given to UTSA students whose contributions reflect ideal student leadership
Becomes the second National Scholar-Athlete from UTSA
TYLER LOCKETT, WR
Kansas State University
Business Management – 3.24 GPA
Head Coach: Bill Snyder
Athletics Director: John Currie
Academic All-Big 12 selection and member of Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Three-time All-America selection and 2013 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year
Two-year team captain on pace to break K-State records for catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns
2013 AFCA Good Works Team member and three-year member of Student-Athlete Advisory Council
Becomes the fifth National Scholar-Athlete from Kansas State
MIKE MANCINI, S
Trinity College (Conn.)
Neuroscience – 3.82 GPA
Head Coach: Jeff Devanney
Athletics Director: Michael Renwick
Academic All-District and three-time Academic All-NESCAC selection
2013-14 Trinity College Junior Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year has received Faculty Honors every semester from 2010 to the present
Team captain and First Team All-NESCAC performer
Participated in Hartford Hospital Summer Pre-Med Research Program and job shadowed at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and St. Mary’s Hospital
Becomes the first National Scholar-Athlete from Trinity (Conn.)
CHARLES MOORE, S
Tarleton State University (Texas)
Kinesiology – 3.83 GPA
Head Coach: Cary Fowler
Athletics Director: Lonn Reisman
Two-time Academic All-Lone Star Conference selection and four-time member of the LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Recipient of Tarleton State’s Top 10-Percent Scholarship
Two-year team captain twice earned all-conference honors and led Tarleton State to 2013 Lone Star Conference Championship
Student-Athlete Athletic Council representative and Fellowship of Christian Athletes member
Becomes the first National Scholar-Athlete from Tarleton State (Texas)
MARK MURPHY, S
Indiana University
Informatics – 3.85 GPA
Head Coach: Kevin Wilson
Athletics Director: Fred Glass
First Team Academic All-American and two-time Academic All-District honoree
Two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and 2013 Jack D. Tichenor Award recipient as male student-athlete with highest GPA
Indiana’s active leader in tackles and has posted eight career double-digit tackle performances
Member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club and Read Across America
Becomes the fifth National Scholar-Athlete from Indiana
JORDAN RICHARDS, S
Stanford University
Public Policy – 3.31 GPA
Head Coach: David Shaw
Athletics Director: Bernard Muir
Academic All-American and two-time First Team Academic All-Pac-12 selection
Two-time Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 performer who led Stanford to back-to-back conference titles
Helped Cardinal to three consecutive BCS bowl games, including a win in the 2013 Rose Bowl
Student teacher for the Tri-District Summer Math Institute and class tutor for East Palo Alto Academy
Becomes the 12th National Scholar-Athlete from Stanford
KEVIN RODGERS, QB
Henderson State University (Ark.)
Business Administration, Finance – 3.82 GPA
Head Coach: Scott Maxfield
Athletics Director: Shawn Jones
2014 Great American Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and three-time Academic All-GAC selection
Three-year team captain was named a 2013 Beyond Sports Network First Team All-American and Associated Press Second Team Little All-American
Boasts conference and school career passing records for yards and touchdowns
2013 AFCA Good Works Team member and led tornado-relief efforts in Mayflower, Ark., which became focus of CBS Sports Network feature story
Becomes the second National Scholar-Athlete from Henderson State (Ark.)
MIKE SADLER, P
Michigan State University
Applied Engineering Sciences – 3.97 GPA
Head Coach: Mark Dantonio
Athletics Director: Mark Hollis
First Spartan in program history to earn Academic All-America honors three times (2013 – First Team, 2011-12 – Second Team)
Three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection graduated in May 2013 and is currently pursuing master’s degree in public policy
Two-time All-Big Ten selection on pace to enter Spartans’ top five in nearly every statistical punting category
Participates in multiple service events, including Murphy Elementary’s Reading Day and the Varsity S Club golf outing
Becomes the seventh National Scholar-Athlete from Michigan State
CALEB SCHAFFITZEL, S
Missouri State University
Wildlife Conservation & Management – 3.93 GPA
Head Coach: Terry Allen
Athletics Director: Kyle Moats
Two-time Academic All-America and first team academic all-conference selection graduated summa cum laude last May
2013 consensus First Team All-American and two-time First Team All-MVFC selection
Team captain is school’s career leader in interception return yards (259) and has led the team in tackles and interceptions the last two seasons
Member of MSU Student-Athlete Advisory Council and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity
Becomes the first National Scholar-Athlete from Missouri State
TYLER VARGA, TB
Yale University
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology – 3.56 GPA
Head Coach: Tony Reno
Athletics Director: Thomas Beckett
Two-time All-Ivy selection, earning Honorable Mention honors in 2013 and First Team laurels in 2012
2012 Second Team All-American who led the nation with 194.2 all-purpose yards per game while playing running back, quarterback and returning kickoffs
Currently leads Ivy League in rushing and set the single-game school record with five touchdowns in win against Army on Sept. 27
Member of the Mandi Schwartz Bone Marrow Drive Executive Board that organizes, promotes and conducts the largest bone marrow drive in the nation each spring
Becomes the 12th National Scholar-Athlete from Yale
BRANDON VITABILE, C
Northwestern University
Economics – 3.56 GPA
Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald
Athletics Director: Jim Phillips
Academic All-District and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree
Two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar graduated in May with a degree in economics
Three-year starter and team captain earned Honorable Mention All-Big ten accolades last season.
Participated in Uplifting Athletes “Lift for Life” event and is active in Youth Impact program
Becomes the fourth National Scholar-Athlete from Northwestern
ZACH ZENNER, RB
South Dakota State University
Biology – 3.87 GPA
Head Coach: John Stiegelmeier
Athletics Director: Justin Sell
Two-time Academic All-American and recipient of the 2013 Joseph F. Nelson Undergraduate Research Award for colon cancer research
Two-year team captain and two-time consensus First Team All-American is on pace to break MVFC record for career rushing yards this season
One of only two players in FCS history to rush for 2,000 yards in two separate seasons, he entered his senior season as conference’s career leader with 5,861 all-purpose yards
2014 AFCA Good Works Team member has served multiple terms as president of SDSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Becomes the second National Scholar-Athlete from South Dakota State