WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University running back Andrew Brazicki (Franklin Park, N.J./St. Thomas Aquinas HS), a graduate student, has been named one of 176 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. It's the second straight year Brazicki has been among the semifinalists.

Brazicki, who is pursuing his MBA with a concentration in finance after majoring in corporate finance and accounting as an undergraduate, is one of two Northeast-10 Conference student-athletes on the list and one of 15 from a Division II institution.

Brazicki, who has played in every Bentley game since his arrival on campus in 2017, has rushed for 197 yards on 32 carries this season, an average of 6.2 yards per attempt, and has also caught five balls for 141 yards. He's reached the end zone three times this fall for the 4-0 and 24^th-ranked Falcons.

For his career, Brazicki has amassed 2,263 yards from scrimmage, including 1,749 rushing, and scored 19 touchdowns. Bentley's leading rusher annually from 2017-19, he needs eight more yards to crack the top ten on Bentley's all-time varsity rushing list.

Brazicki has made a mark for himself off the playing field as well as on during his time at Bentley. He succeeded in the classroom, earning a 3.71 GPA in a difficult major and making either the President's or Dean's List every semester. He has worked as a trading room analyst in Bentley's highly respected live training room and has been involved in a number of community service activities.

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 27, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2021 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas for the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 7, 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 32nd Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

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.

"The NFF would like to personally congratulate each of the nominees as well as their schools and coaches on their tremendous accomplishments," 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 63rd year in 2021. 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 878 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.1 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 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.

An All-Ivy League player and the captain of Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship team, Bill Campbell found his true calling after an unlikely career change at age 39 from Columbia 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.

NFF Release