Matthew Dapore named semifinalist for Campbell Trophy
9/25/2024 10:08:00 AM | Football
Air Force senior place kicker Matthew Dapore has been named a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's premier scholar-athlete award.
Dapore was one of a record 203 semifinalist, breaking the record of 201 in 2023. The impressive list of candidates, from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boasts an impressive 3.63 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor's degrees.
Dapore, who is on the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List for the nation's top kicker award was an honorable mention all-MW selection last season. He hit 15-19 field goals and 34 of 35 extra points to lead the Falcons in scoring with 79 points. He ranked among the conference leaders in field goal percentage (fourth, .789), field goals (fifth, 1.250 and scoring (10th, 6.6).
Dapore has a 3.48 cumulative grade point average and a 3.95 majors GPA and is majoring in systems engineering with an aeronautical engineer focus. He has been on the dean's list for academic excellence every semester at the Academy.
Celebrating its 35th 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.
2024 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS NOTES
"These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "The Campbell Trophy® continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year's candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow's world."
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 23, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 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 35th 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 room rates at the Bellagio.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior who will complete his final year of eligibility in the 2024 season or graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and participating in the 2024 season; 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.
"We are incredibly proud of this year's semifinalists, who embody the true spirit of the Campbell Trophy®," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of this prestigious award, their achievements remind us of the profound impact scholar-athletes have, not just on their teams, but on the communities they serve and the careers they pursue after football. 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 66th year in 2024. 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 922 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.9 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 nine 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 luncheon 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 at each of the institutions with a finalist for the Campbell Trophy®. Once the finalists are selected, the NFF will present each of their faculty athletics representatives with a plaque and Fidelity will donate $5,000 for the academic support services at each school. The salutes have recognized 184 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $920,000 in donations.
2024 Campbell Trophy® Semifinalists by Division and Position
2024 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS
FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION
Alabama - Jalen Milroe
Appalachian State - Eli Wilson
Arizona - Josh Baker
Arizona State - Leif Fautanu
Arkansas - Hudson Clark
Arkansas State - Jacob Bayer
Auburn - Oscar Chapman
Boise State - Alexander Teubner
Bowling Green State - Demetrius Hardamon
Buffalo - Dom Polizzi
BYU - Connor Pay
California - Craig Woodson
Central Michigan - Dominic Serapiglia
Clemson - Phil Mafah
Colorado State - Tory Horton
Duke - Jordan Moore
Eastern Michigan - Jere Getzinger
Florida - Graham Mertz
Florida Atlantic - Federico Maranges
Florida State - Robert Scott Jr.
Fresno State - Mose Vavo
Georgia Southern - Kyle Frazier
Georgia State - Gavin Pringle
Georgia Tech - Henry Freer
Hawai'i - Logan Taylor
Illinois - Ryan Meed
Indiana - Cooper Jones
Iowa - Luke Lachey
Iowa State - Beau Freyler
Kansas - Jared Casey
Kansas State - Austin Moore
Kentucky - Alex Raynor
Liberty - Quinton Cooley
Louisiana Monroe - Sam Carson
Louisville - Ashton Gillotte
LSU - Josh Williams
Marshall - Logan Osburn
Maryland - Dante Trader Jr.
Memphis - Anthony Landphere
Michigan - Josh Priebe
Michigan State - Maverick Hansen
Middle Tennessee State - Devyn Curtis
Minnesota - Danny Striggow
Mississippi - Jaxson Dart
Mississippi State - Blake Shapen
Missouri - Brady Cook
Nebraska - Isaac Gifford
Nevada, Las Vegas - Jackson Woodard
New Mexico - Aaron Rodriguez
North Carolina - J.J. Jones
North Carolina State - Timothy McKay
North Texas - Jett Duncan
Northern Illinois - J.J. Lippe
Northwestern - Xander Mueller
Notre Dame - Jack Kiser
Ohio State - Seth McLaughlin
Oklahoma - Zach Schmit
Oklahoma State - Alan Bowman
Old Dominion - Jason Henderson
Oregon - Dillon Gabriel
Oregon State - Dylan Black
Penn State - Tyler Warren
Pittsburgh - Terrence Moore
Purdue - Gus Hartwig
Rice - Christian Francisco
Rutgers - Reggie Sutton
SMU - Jake Bailey
South Alabama - Jaden Voisin
South Carolina - Tonka Hemingway
Southern California - Jonah Monheim
Southern Mississippi - Chandler Pittman
Stanford - Tristan Sinclair
Syracuse - Derek McDonald
TCU - Jaise Oliver
Temple - Dante Wright
Tennessee - Keenan Pili
Texas - Jake Majors
Texas A&M - Randy Bond
Texas State - Nash Jones
Texas Tech - Tahj Brooks
Toledo - Maxen Hook
Tulane - Ethan Hudak
UCF - Ethan Barr
United States Air Force Academy - Matthew Dapore
United States Naval Academy - Riley Riethman
Utah - Karene Reid
Utah State - Broc Lane
UTSA (Texas at San Antonio) - Oscar Cardenas
Virginia - Brian Stevens
Virginia Tech - Cole Nelson
Wake Forest - Taylor Morin
Washington State - Dean Janikowski
West Virginia - Garrett Greene
Wisconsin - Hunter Wohler
Wyoming - Will Pelissier
Dapore was one of a record 203 semifinalist, breaking the record of 201 in 2023. The impressive list of candidates, from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boasts an impressive 3.63 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor's degrees.
Dapore, who is on the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List for the nation's top kicker award was an honorable mention all-MW selection last season. He hit 15-19 field goals and 34 of 35 extra points to lead the Falcons in scoring with 79 points. He ranked among the conference leaders in field goal percentage (fourth, .789), field goals (fifth, 1.250 and scoring (10th, 6.6).
Dapore has a 3.48 cumulative grade point average and a 3.95 majors GPA and is majoring in systems engineering with an aeronautical engineer focus. He has been on the dean's list for academic excellence every semester at the Academy.
Celebrating its 35th 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.
2024 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS NOTES
- 35th year of the William V. Campbell Trophy®
- 66th year of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments
- 203 Semifinalists
- 3.63 Average GPA
- 124 Nominees who have already earned their bachelor's degrees
- 7 Nominees who have earned a master's degree
- 3 Nominees with a perfect 4.0 GPA
- 48 Nominees with a 3.8 GPA or better
- 91 Nominees with a 3.7 GPA or better
- 26 Academic All-America selections
- 128 Captains
- 31 All-Americans
- 129 All-Conference picks
"These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "The Campbell Trophy® continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year's candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow's world."
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 23, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 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 35th 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 room rates at the Bellagio.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior who will complete his final year of eligibility in the 2024 season or graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and participating in the 2024 season; 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.
"We are incredibly proud of this year's semifinalists, who embody the true spirit of the Campbell Trophy®," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of this prestigious award, their achievements remind us of the profound impact scholar-athletes have, not just on their teams, but on the communities they serve and the careers they pursue after football. 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 66th year in 2024. 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 922 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.9 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 nine 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 luncheon 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 at each of the institutions with a finalist for the Campbell Trophy®. Once the finalists are selected, the NFF will present each of their faculty athletics representatives with a plaque and Fidelity will donate $5,000 for the academic support services at each school. The salutes have recognized 184 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $920,000 in donations.
2024 Campbell Trophy® Semifinalists by Division and Position
- 95 Nominees from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
- 41 Nominees from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
- 18 Nominees from NCAA Division II
- 44 Nominees from NCAA Division III
- 5 Nominees from the NAIA
- 110 Offensive Players
- 78 Defensive Players
- 15 Special Teams Players
2024 WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY® SEMIFINALISTS
FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION
Alabama - Jalen Milroe
Appalachian State - Eli Wilson
Arizona - Josh Baker
Arizona State - Leif Fautanu
Arkansas - Hudson Clark
Arkansas State - Jacob Bayer
Auburn - Oscar Chapman
Boise State - Alexander Teubner
Bowling Green State - Demetrius Hardamon
Buffalo - Dom Polizzi
BYU - Connor Pay
California - Craig Woodson
Central Michigan - Dominic Serapiglia
Clemson - Phil Mafah
Colorado State - Tory Horton
Duke - Jordan Moore
Eastern Michigan - Jere Getzinger
Florida - Graham Mertz
Florida Atlantic - Federico Maranges
Florida State - Robert Scott Jr.
Fresno State - Mose Vavo
Georgia Southern - Kyle Frazier
Georgia State - Gavin Pringle
Georgia Tech - Henry Freer
Hawai'i - Logan Taylor
Illinois - Ryan Meed
Indiana - Cooper Jones
Iowa - Luke Lachey
Iowa State - Beau Freyler
Kansas - Jared Casey
Kansas State - Austin Moore
Kentucky - Alex Raynor
Liberty - Quinton Cooley
Louisiana Monroe - Sam Carson
Louisville - Ashton Gillotte
LSU - Josh Williams
Marshall - Logan Osburn
Maryland - Dante Trader Jr.
Memphis - Anthony Landphere
Michigan - Josh Priebe
Michigan State - Maverick Hansen
Middle Tennessee State - Devyn Curtis
Minnesota - Danny Striggow
Mississippi - Jaxson Dart
Mississippi State - Blake Shapen
Missouri - Brady Cook
Nebraska - Isaac Gifford
Nevada, Las Vegas - Jackson Woodard
New Mexico - Aaron Rodriguez
North Carolina - J.J. Jones
North Carolina State - Timothy McKay
North Texas - Jett Duncan
Northern Illinois - J.J. Lippe
Northwestern - Xander Mueller
Notre Dame - Jack Kiser
Ohio State - Seth McLaughlin
Oklahoma - Zach Schmit
Oklahoma State - Alan Bowman
Old Dominion - Jason Henderson
Oregon - Dillon Gabriel
Oregon State - Dylan Black
Penn State - Tyler Warren
Pittsburgh - Terrence Moore
Purdue - Gus Hartwig
Rice - Christian Francisco
Rutgers - Reggie Sutton
SMU - Jake Bailey
South Alabama - Jaden Voisin
South Carolina - Tonka Hemingway
Southern California - Jonah Monheim
Southern Mississippi - Chandler Pittman
Stanford - Tristan Sinclair
Syracuse - Derek McDonald
TCU - Jaise Oliver
Temple - Dante Wright
Tennessee - Keenan Pili
Texas - Jake Majors
Texas A&M - Randy Bond
Texas State - Nash Jones
Texas Tech - Tahj Brooks
Toledo - Maxen Hook
Tulane - Ethan Hudak
UCF - Ethan Barr
United States Air Force Academy - Matthew Dapore
United States Naval Academy - Riley Riethman
Utah - Karene Reid
Utah State - Broc Lane
UTSA (Texas at San Antonio) - Oscar Cardenas
Virginia - Brian Stevens
Virginia Tech - Cole Nelson
Wake Forest - Taylor Morin
Washington State - Dean Janikowski
West Virginia - Garrett Greene
Wisconsin - Hunter Wohler
Wyoming - Will Pelissier
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