IRVING, Texas — UTSA senior Hunter Duplessis has been chosen as a semifinalist for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced Thursday.
A place-kicker out of San Antonio Cole High School, Duplessis is one of 199 semifinalists for the trophy, establishing an exciting new highwater mark for one of college football's most sought-after and coveted awards.
Duplessis posted a 3.78 GPA as a double major in information systems and cyber security during his time as an undergraduate at UTSA, earning his bachelor's degree in August 2020. He is currently continuing coursework in technology management. A four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll, he has made the UTSA President's List (4.0 semester GPA), Dean's List (3.75) and Honor Roll (3.5) twice apiece.
A two-time member of the football team's Leadership Council, Duplessis is a member of the Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and "The Banquet Table" student group. He has volunteered his time with the San Antonio Food Bank, Haven for Hope (local homeless shelter) and UTSA's Rowdy Readers program that visits local elementary schools.
"It's been a pleasure getting to know Hunter Duplessis," UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said. "I always knew he was a quality young man, but he really grabbed my attention in our first Zoom team meeting following the George Floyd situation. His candidness, his awareness, his empathy, his IQ and his character — all of that just oozed when it was his turn to speak to his teammates. He's been chosen to be on our team's leadership council and that's because of the tremendous respect he has within our program. I could not be prouder of the young man and I'm glad he's on our team. He is one of the best all-around student-athletes I've ever been around in all my years of coaching."
Duplessis has excelled on the field, as well. He enters Saturday's C-USA matchup with UAB with 16 consecutive made field goals, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He is 7 for 7 with a long of 42 this season after making his last nine field-goal attempts as a junior. Duplessis also has made all 38 career extra-point attempts and he has not missed a kick since Sept. 21, 2019. He was 3 for 3, including the game-winning field goal in the second overtime in the 51-48 season-opening win at Texas State, and he was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. He also made a trio of kicks in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee in the league lid-lifter on Sept. 25. Duplessis also handles kickoff duties for the Roadrunners and has seven touchbacks on 20 kickoffs this year and 15 touchbacks on 50 kicks for his career.
UTSA now has had a Campbell Trophy semifinalist for four straight years and six times in the 10-year history of the football program. Other semifinalists include Andrew Martel (2019), Yannis Routsas (2018), Brady Jones (2017), Nate Leonard (2014) and Eric Soza (2013). Leonard and Soza both were named finalists and earned a trip to New York City for the award ceremony.
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.
"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."
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.
"It is wonderful to see a record number of semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy® during such a turbulent year, proving the Future for Football is bright," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are extremely proud to highlight each semifinalist's 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 62nd year in 2020. 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 866 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $11.9 million. The 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 luncheon at the venue.
ABOUT The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Future for Football, The William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Goodyear, Mazda, the New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.
About The National College Football Awards Association
The William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.
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