Click here to view the full 2020 National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalists release

UMass Dartmouth senior defensive back Jacob Burkhead has been named as one of a record 199 semifinalists from across all levels of both NCAA and NAIA play for the 2020 National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented By Mazda, which is considered to be the "Academic Heisman". 
 
Celebrating its 31st year, the award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. The NFF will announce 12-to-14 finalists in November, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. Later this year, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 31st Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, having his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000 and receiving his own 25-pound-bronze version of the iconic statue.
 
Campbell Trophy nominees 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.  Burkhead is one of 40 NCAA Division III student-athletes to be named to this year's semifinalists list.
 
A native of Plymouth, Mass. and a graduate of Plymouth North High School, Burkhead is the only two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree in school history and has earned a pair of all-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference first team accolades for his performance on the field.  A Political Science major at the University, Jacob has achieved a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average during his matriculation and has been named to the Chancellor's List six times while earning a spot on the MASCAC Fall All-Academic team on three occasions.
 
The 2017 MASCAC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a team tri-captain, Burkhead was one of 59 Division III student-athletes nominated for the 2019 Cliff Harris Award as the nation's top small college defensive player, as he has registered 191 career tackles (133 solo) along with four interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 30 games played.  Off the field, Jacob is an active member of the University community who serves on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has participated in activities that include Special Olympics as well as the school's Sharing The Harvest recognition event.
 
"This is not only an incredible honor for Jacob, it is a tribute to his hard work and the outstanding example he has set both on and off the field," UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Mark Robichaud said of Burkhead.  "He is a respected leader in our program and in the campus community, and the legacy he is building speaks volumes to the values he has been instilled with. 
 
"The Campbell Trophy is the ultimate award that any football player could ever hope to achieve," Robichaud continued.  "It embodies the meaning of the term 'student-athlete', and Jacob Burkhead truly defines those words.  We are all extremely proud of he has accomplished during his distinguished career—it is well-deserved."
 
"I couldn't be happier and prouder of Jacob for exemplifying what it means to be a UMass Dartmouth student-athlete," Corsair Director of Athletics Amanda Van Voorhis said of Burkhead.  "He is a leader by example in the classroom, on the field and in our campus community, and his many achievements have all been earned through incredible drive, passion and commitment."
 
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 venue.  An All-Ivy League player and the captain of Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship team, Campbell found his true calling after an unlikely career change at age 39 from Columbia football coach to advertising executive.  As the CEO and chairman of Intuit, Campbell's unique talent in building teams allowed him to become one of the most influential individuals in Silicon Valley.  Campbell joined the NFF Board in 1978 while he was still a coach at Columbia, and he continued to serve with distinction until his passing in 2016. In 2004, the NFF recognized Campbell's contributions and accomplishments by presenting him with the NFF Gold Medal, the organization's highest honor. In 2009, the NFF renamed college football's premier scholar-athlete award as The William V. Campbell Trophy® in his honor.
 
"This is terrific news. To set a record for the number of Campbell nominees is extra special during the pandemic because it shows how the stature of the award continues to rise even during these challenging times," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "We have worked hard to expand the profile of the award, and it's extremely gratifying to have so many schools participate this year with nominations. We believe it sends an important message to the younger student-athletes that you truly can do it all, succeeding on the field, in the classroom and as leaders in the community."
 
The only MASCAC student-athlete named to the Campbell Trophy semifinalist list, Burkhead is one of six Division III players from New England schools to receive the honor, as he joins Nicholas Leahy of Bowdoin, Pete Huggins of Middlebury, AJ Smith of Springfield, Khalif Jeter of Tufts and Glenn Smith of Wesleyan.

Release courtesy of UMass Dartmouth Sports Information and National Football Foundation