Youngstown State punter Brendon Kilpatrick is one of 177 semifinalists for 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®, which is college football's premier scholar-athlete award. Kilpatrick is one of just 44 FCS student-athletes to be named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy.
The impressive list of candidates, from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boasts an impressive 3.60 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor's degrees.
Celebrating its 36th 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.
Kilpatrick is in his third year as the starting punter and holder for the Penguins. Last year he was named the FCS Punter of the Year while earning third-team All-America honors. In his career, he has 96 punts for a school-record average of 44.9 yards a punt.
"This year's 177 semifinalists represent the very best of what it means to play college football," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "They have excelled in the classroom, distinguished themselves on the field, and proven to be leaders in their communities. The Campbell Trophy® stands as a reminder that football develops complete individuals, and these young men embody that tradition at the highest level."
The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on Oct. 22, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 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 36th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
"We are honored to celebrate such an extraordinary group of student-athletes as semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy®," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Their accomplishments reflect the lasting impact of our game — building character, discipline, and leadership, extending far beyond football. Selecting finalists from this outstanding class will be a tremendous challenge, but it's a challenge that underscores the unique prestige of this award."
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 67th year in 2025. 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 938 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $13.2 million.
