September 25, 2014

Alderman named a semifinalist for NFF National Scholar Athlete

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman defensive end William Alderman (Brooksville, Fla.) has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s National Scholar Athlete Award – the William V. Campbell Trophy.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman defensive end William Alderman (Brooksville, Fla.) has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's National Scholar Athlete Award – the William V. Campbell Trophy.

Alderman, also a nominee for the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team, is a physical education major and the president of Carson-Newman's Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He is one of 25 nominees from Division II and one of four from the South Atlantic Conference and Super Region II.

The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation, and up to 16 of the candidates will be named recipients of a prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award, also presented by Fidelity Investments. Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete program awards $18,000 scholarships that can be used for the honorees' postgraduate educations. This year's recipients will be announced Oct. 30, and one will be declared the winner of the Campbell Trophy Dec. 9 at the 57^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.

Named in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit, 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 increases the amount of the recipient's grant by $7,000 for a total post-graduate scholarship of $25,000. A total distribution of $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner, pushing the program's all-time distributions to more than $10.7 million.

"These 167 impressive candidates truly represent the scholar-athlete ideal," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "It is important for us to showcase their success on the football field, in the classroom and in the community. This year's semifinalists further illustrate the power of our great sport in developing the next generation of influential leaders."

2014 NFF NATIONAL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE CANDIDATE NOTES

· 167 nominations

· 3.65 Average GPA

· 44 nominees with a 3.8 GPA or better

· 97 Team Captains

· 86 All-Conference Picks

· 27 Academic All-America Selections

· 19 All-America Selections

· 62 Nominees from the Football Bowl Subdivision

· 37 Nominees from the Football Championship Subdivision

· 25 Nominees from the Division II

· 33 Nominees from the Division III

· 10 Nominees from the NAIA

· 78 Offensive Players

· 67 Defensive Players

· 22 Special Teams Players

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of 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. 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.

"The NFF would like to personally congratulate each of the nominees as well as their schools and coaches on this tremendous honor," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are extremely proud to highlight each semifinalist's achievements, which show that football players can balance between academics and athletics at the highest level. The NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the finalists from this outstanding group of candidates."

The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 recipients, and the results will be announced via a national press release on Thursday, Oct. 30. Each recipient will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and they will vie as finalists for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and hosted at the NYAC, which is celebrating its 25^th anniversary in 2014. Each member of the 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class will also travel to New York City to be honored Dec. 9 during the 57^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. One member of the class will also be announced live at the event as the winner of the Campbell Trophy.

Launched in 1959, the NFF scholar-athlete program became the first initiative in history to award post-graduate scholarships based on both a player's academic and athletic accomplishments, and it has recognized 787 outstanding individuals since its inception. The Campbell Trophy, first awarded in 1990, adds to the program's prestige, having previously honored two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, two Heisman Trophy winners and five first-round NFL draft picks. Earlier this month, Fidelity Investments became the first presenting sponsor of the Campbell Trophy.

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 55-year history of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program. Fidelity also helped launch the NFF Faculty Salutes initiative, 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 will present each of the faculty representatives with a plaque and a $5,000 check from Fidelity Investments to support the academic support services for student-athletes at each school.

The past recipients of the William V. Campbell Trophy include: Air Force's Chris Howard (1990); Florida's Brad Culpepper (1991); Colorado's Jim Hansen (1992); Virginia's Thomas Burns (1993); Nebraska's Rob Zatechka (1994); Ohio State's Bobby Hoying (1995); Florida's Danny Wuerffel (1996); Tennessee's Peyton Manning (1997); Georgia's Matt Stinchcomb (1998); Marshall's Chad Pennington (1999); Nebraska's Kyle Vanden Bosch (2000); Miami (Fla.)'s Joaquin Gonzalez (2001); Washington University in St. Louis [Mo.]'s Brandon Roberts (2002); Ohio State's Craig Krenzel (2003); Tennessee's Michael Munoz (2004); LSU's Rudy Niswanger (2005); Rutgers' Brian Leonard(2006); Texas' Dallas Griffin (2007); California's Alex Mack (2008); Florida's Tim Tebow (2009); Texas' Sam Acho (2010); Army's Andrew Rodriguez (2011); Alabama's Barrett Jones (2012); and Penn State's John Urschel (2013).

2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Candidates,
presented by Fidelity Investments

Football Bowl Subdivision	Football Championship Subdivision	Division III
Alabama - Arie Kauandjio	Alabama State - Edward Mosley	Allegheny (Pa.) - Jesse Battaglia
Arizona - Jared Tevis	Austin Peay State - Ben Campbell	Bates (Maine) - David Kurey
Arizona State - Taylor Kelly	Brown - Dan Giovacchini	Bethel (Minn.) - Josh Treimer
Arkansas - Alan D'Appollonio	Bucknell - Derek Maurer	Case Western (Ohio) - Sean Lapcevic
Army - Terry Baggett	Campbell - Adam Lutz	Concordia (Wisc.) - Austin Damaschke
Baylor - Troy Baker	Charleston Southern - Christian Reyes	Gallaudet (D.C.) - Nico Santiago
Buffalo - Lee Skinner	Dayton - Will Bardo	Grinnell (Iowa) - David Ternes
BYU - Kevin O'Mary	Delaware - Laith Wallschleger	Hardin-Simmons (Texas) - Bryce Johnson
California - Chris Adcock	Eastern Kentucky - Caleb Watkins	Heidelberg (Ohio) - Austin Hunter
Central Florida - Sean Beckton	Fordham - Brett Biestek	Hendrix (Ark.) - Casey Caton
Central Michigan - Michael Kinville	Georgetown - Alec May	Hobart (N.Y.) - Troy Robinson
Colorado - Will Oliver	Harvard - Michael Mancinelli	Hope (Mich.) - Kirby Crook
Colorado State - Kivon Cartwright	Holy Cross - Sam Jones	Illinois College - Michael Bates
Connecticut - Adam Mueller	Idaho State - Austin Graves	Johns Hopkins (Md.) - Michael Longo
Duke - David Helton	Illinois State - Chris Highland	Juniata (Pa.) - Ethan Wilt
East Carolina - Warren Harvey	Incarnate Word - Casey Jennings	Kenyon (Ohio) - Nick Gasbarro
Eastern Michigan - Lincoln Hansen	Jacksonville State - Max Holcombe	King's (Pa.) - Daniel Kempa
Georgia - Chris Conley	Lamar - Keith Curran	Lycoming (Pa.) - Craig Needhammer
Georgia Southern - Garrett Frye	Lehigh - Josh Parris	Manchester (Ind.) - Collin Huffine
Indiana - Mark Murphy	Liberty - Mitch Hanson	Monmouth (Ill.) - Jake Wilson
Iowa - Mark Weisman	Missouri State - Caleb Schaffitzel	Mount Union (Ohio) - Kevin Burke
Iowa State - Jacob Gannon	Montana - Shay Smithwick-Hann	Northwestern-St. Paul (Minn.) - Josh Sinnen
Kansas State - Tyler Lockett	Montana State - Cole Moore	Ohio Wesleyan - Calvin Cagney
Kent State - Nate Vance	New Hampshire - Rob Bowman	Redlands (Calif.) - Aaron Hinkle
Kentucky - Tyler Brause	Nicholls State - Cole Frazier	Rowan (N.J.) - Chris Alvarez
Memphis - Charles Harris	North Dakota State - Esley Thorton	Saint John's (Minn.) - J.T. Ford
Michigan - Desmond Morgan	Northern Arizona - Austin Hasquet	Trinity (Conn.) - Mike Mancini
Michigan State - Mike Sadler	Northern Iowa - David Johnson	Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) - John Wanner
Middle Tennessee State - Leighton Gasque	Sam Houston State - Keshawn Hill	Wisconsin-Eau Claire - Dalton Evertz
Minnesota - Tommy Olson	San Diego - Troy McClelland	Wisconsin-Oshkosh - Beau Steffens
Mississippi - Deterrian Shackelford	South Dakota State - Zach Zenner	Wisconsin-Stout - Tyler Naatz
Missouri - Matt Hoch	Southern Illinois - Corey Boemer	Wisconsin-Whitewater - Brady Grayvold
Nebraska - Mark Pelini	Tennessee at Chattanooga - Nick Pollard	Wittenberg (Pa.) - Clay Mangen
North Carolina State - Tyler Purvis	Wagner - Trevor Loveland
Northern Illinois - Robert Sterling	Western Carolina - Richard Sigmon
Northwestern - Brandon Vitabile	William & Mary - John Carpenter	NAIA
Notre Dame - Cam McDaniel	Yale - Tyler Varga	Bethel (Kan.) - Seth Tarrent
Ohio - Josh Kristoff		Carroll (Mont.) - Sean Condon
Old Dominion - Josh Mann		Central Methodist (Mo.) - Luke Mayer
Penn State - Sam Ficken	Division II	Cumberland (Tenn.) - Reed Gurchiek
Purdue - Justin Sinz	Angelo State (Texas) - Rush Seaver	Dakota State (S.D.) - Zach Ely
Rice - Dylan Klare	Azusa Pacific (Calif.) - Kalvin Davis	Montana Western - Jesse McCloud
Rutgers - David Milewski	Bentley (Mass.) - Danny Guadagnoli	Nebraska Wesleyan - Seth Wardyn
San Jose State - Vince Buhagiar	Brevard (N.C.) - Andre Overholt	Northwestern (Iowa) - Levi Dykshorn
SMU - Stephon Sanders	*Carson-Newman (Tenn.) - William Alderman*	Peru State (Neb.) - Tyler Ford
South Alabama - Jesse Kelley	Chadron State (Neb.) - Sam Parker	William Penn (Iowa) - Evan Ressler
South Carolina - Damiere Byrd	Colorado State-Pueblo - Chris Bonner
Southern Mississippi - Corey Acosta	Concordia, St. Paul (Minn.) - Thomas Obarski
Stanford - Jordan Richards	East Stroudsburg (Pa.) - Bryan Thomson
Syracuse - Sam Rodgers	Eastern New Mexico - Seth Bailey
TCU - Geoff Hooker	Edinboro (Pa.) - Cody Harris
Texas - Nate Boyer	Henderson State (Ark.) - Kevin Rodgers
Texas A&M - Josh Lambo	LIU-Post (N.Y.) - Steven Laurino
Texas Tech - Bradley Marquez	Newberry (S.C.) - AJ Booker
Toledo - Greg Mancz	Ohio Dominican - Mark Miller
Tulane - Sam Scofield	Pittsburg State (Kan.) - Keeston Terry
Utah - Eric Rowe	Shippensburg (Pa.) - Brian Sourbor
UTSA - Nate Leonard	South Dakota Mines and Tech. - Sam Cowan
Wake Forest - Jordan Garside	Southern Connecticut State - Jack Mallis
West Virginia - Michael Molinari	Southwest Minnesota State - Charlie Kern
Wisconsin - Michael Trotter	Stonehill (Mass.) - Brian Harrington
Wyoming - Stuart Williams	Tarleton State (Texas) - Charles Moore
	Wayne State (Mich.) - Thom Box
	Wingate (N.C.) - Will Poteat
	Winona State (Minn.) - Ryan Gerts