IRVING, Texas — UTSA redshirt junior Luke Lapeze 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).
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.
Lapeze, a native of Humble, Texas, is one of 177 semifinalists for the award. This marks the ninth consecutive year that a Roadrunner has made the semifinalist list. Ahofitu Maka was a finalist two years ago, while Oscar Cardenas (2024), 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.
Lapeze earned his bachelor’s degree in history in December 2024, graduating with a 3.36 GPA. He was named to the UTSA Dean's List in Spring 2025 and is a three-time UTSA Honor Roll member (Fall 2022, Spring 2024, Fall 2024). He made the American Conference All-Academic Team in each of the past two years, and he was a two-time Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll selection prior to that.
On the field, Lapeze has played in 30 career games despite all of the 2024 season due to an injury. He played in 12 contests and earned 11 starts at center in 2023. He was key member of an offense that piled up 5,421 yards (421.6 yards per game), including 3,248 passing and 2,531 rushing that year. The Summer Creek High School product logged 815 snaps, allowed only one sack and three hits on the quarterback in 438 pass-blocking snaps and committed just four penalties according to Pro Football Focus. He has appeared in three of the first four games in 2025 after his return from injury.
Lapeze has been actively involved in several community service ventures during his time in San Antonio. He is a volunteer with the Rowdy Readers Program at Virginia Meyers Elementary School, UTSA Diploma Dash, the San Antonio Food Bank, Get in The Game, Save a Life Campaign and the Power of Collegiate Athletes. A member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he has made numerous visits to Christus Children’s Hospital and spent time with the Children’s Lighthouse mentorship program. During UTSA’s 2023 Frisco Bowl appearance, he helped provide food care packages for Frisco ISD Elementary Schools.
"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. 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 2025 season or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and is participating in the 2025 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, NFF College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
"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.
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. Click here for a list of the past winners of the trophy.
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.
Fidelity Investments became the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards in 2011, marking its 15th year of support in 2025. As part of its commitment to the NFF and higher education nationwide, Fidelity helped launch the NFF Faculty Salutes, which honor the faculty athletics representative (FAR) at each institution with a Campbell Trophy® finalist. Following the selection of the finalists, the NFF presents each school's FAR with a commemorative plaque, and Fidelity contributes $5,000 to the school's academic support services. Since the program's inception, the Salutes have recognized 198 FARs, with Fidelity providing a total of $990,000 in donations.
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