IRVING, Texas — UTSA senior Oscar Cardenas has been chosen as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award, as announced on Wednesday by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF).
The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership, and the candidates also comprise the pool of nominees for the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments.
Cardenas is one of 203 semifinalists for the award and this marks the eighth consecutive year that a Roadrunner has made the semifinalist list. Ahofitu Maka was a finalist two years ago, while Lucas Dean (2023), Hunter Duplessis (2020, ’21), Andrew Martel (2019), Yannis Routsas (2018) and Brady Jones (2017) all were semifinalists. Additionally, Nate Leonard was a finalist in 2014 and Eric Soza made the final cut the year prior.
"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 203 semifinalists have been nominated by their schools as the best all-around student-athlete on their respective football teams. Each nominee must be a senior who will complete his final year of eligibility during the 2024 season or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and will participate during 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 candidates come from all levels of play in the NCAA and the NAIA.
A two-time all-conference performer at tight end, Cardenas is a member of preseason watch lists for the John Mackey Award and Shrine Bowl 1000. He has started the first four games this season and caught seven passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. He surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards in the opener and now has 1,070 yards and seven TDs on 89 receptions in 61 career games. A member of the team’s Leadership Council since 2022, he has earned a single-digit jersey number for each of his final three seasons, including the coveted No. 0 jersey prior this year after receiving the most votes on the team among all offensive players.
Cardenas earned his earned his bachelor’s degree in May 2023, graduating with a 3.42 GPA. A four-time conference honor roll member, he is currently working toward his master’s degree in educational leadership. He made the UTSA Dean’s List in Fall 2020 and the UTSA Honor Roll three times.
Off the field, Cardenas has volunteered with UTSA's annual Move-In Days, helping fellow students move into their dorm rooms. He participated in Christmas in July event at a local children's hospital, has volunteered his time with San Antonio Food Bank, helped with UTSA's CANtoberfest and served as a member of the volunteer staff at the annual San Antonio Superhero Comic Con Celebrity Fan Fest
“Oscar Cardenas has been one of our team leaders for the last several years, and that is because of the example he sets on and off the field,” UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said. “Not only is a fantastic player and one of the best tight ends I’ve ever coached, he also takes care of his classwork and gives back to the community. This year, I was really thrilled to see him get voted into the number zero jersey, which means he has earned the respect of his teammates as someone who best represents our 210 Triangle of Toughness culture. He comes from a wonderful family from right here in San Antonio, and we’re glad he’s a Roadrunner.”
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.
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