DETROIT -- Wayne State University senior linebacker Julius Wilkerson (Mequon, Wis. / Homestead) is the only GLIAC football student-athlete named a national semifinalist for the William Campbell Trophy as announced by the National Football Foundation earlier today.
A third-year team captain, Wilkerson has earned Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) recognition all eight semesters, including one 4.0 term as a Psychology major. His cumulative GPA heading intot he current semester was 3.85. He is also a member of the WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is serving as co-President for the second straight year during the 2022-23 academic year. In addition, Wilkerson is WSU's Male GLIAC SAAC Representative during the 2022-23 academic year (second consecutive year in that role).
On the field, Wilkerson has totaled 187 career tackles (81 solo, 106 assisted) in just 25 games. He has totaled eight quarterback hurries, seven tackles for loss (5 solo, 4 assisted), two pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
A First Team All-GLIAC selection a season ago, Wilkerson was also selected to the AFCA Good Works Team in 2021.
Wilkerson is one of six student-athletes at college football playing institutions in the state of Michigan to be named a semifinalist. Also recognized were Central Michigan's Robi Stuart, Eastern Michigan's Dylan Drummond, Michigan's Jake Moody, Western Michigan's Dylan Deatherage, and Hope's Daniel Romano.
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National Football Foundation Release
IRVING, Texas (Sept. 28, 2022) – The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) proudly announced today the 156 semifinalists for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. The impressive list of candidates boasts an impressive 3.62 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor's degrees.
Celebrating its 33rd 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.
2022 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS NOTES
- 33rd year of the William V. Campbell Trophy®
- 64th year of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments
- 156Â Semifinalists
- 3.62Â Average GPA
- 93Â Nominees who have already earned their bachelor's degrees
- 6Â Nominees who have earned a master's degree
- 4Â Nominees with a perfect 4.0 GPA
- 42Â Nominees with a 3.8 GPA or better
- 60Â Nominees with a 3.7 GPA or better
- 20Â Academic All-America selections
- 97Â Captains
- 23Â All-Americans
- 81Â All-Conference picks
"These 156 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. "During the past seven decades, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards have recognized 891 college football players who excelled as the best our great sport has to offer. This year's semifinalists build on the tradition, further illustrating the power of football in developing the next generation of influential leaders."
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 26, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 6, 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 33rd 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 Bellagio and a concierge service provided by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
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 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. 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 semifinalists as well as their schools and coaches on their tremendous accomplishments," said NFF President & CEOÂ Steve Hatchell. "We are extremely proud to highlight their achievements, showcasing their ability to balance 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."
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 64th year in 2022. 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 891 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.3 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 seven 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 reception 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 (FARs) at each of the institutions with a finalist for the Campbell Trophy®. The NFF will present each of the finalist's FARs with a plaque and Fidelity will donate $5,000 for the academic support services at each school. The salutes have recognized 152 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $755,000 in donations.
2022 Campbell Trophy® semifinalists by division and position:
- 73Â Nominees from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
- 37Â Nominees from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
- 13Â Nominees from NCAA Division II
- 29Â Nominees from NCAA Division III
- 4Â Nominees from the NAIA
- 72Â Offensive Players
- 65Â Defensive Players
- 19Â Special Teams Players
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