3 Pittsburgh-area football players named semifinalists for Campbell Trophy
Three players with local ties have been named semifinalists for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy, emblematic of the nation’s top football scholar-athlete, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
They are Pitt center Jimmy Morrissey, Notre Dame right tackle Robert Hainsey, formerly of Gateway High School, and Cal (Pa.) right tackle Eric Hudanick, a Seneca Valley graduate.
Morrissey, a former walk-on, is a two-time team captain who was named first-team All-ACC last season.
Hainsey, who graduated from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is a two-time Irish captain who was named Notre Dame’s offensive lineman of 2019, despite suffering a season-ending injury in the eighth game.
Hudanick was selected to CoSIDA Academic All-District Team last season after starting all 11 games for Cal.
They are among a record 199 nationwide semifinalists for the award that recognizes the nation’s top football scholar-athlete among seniors and graduate students. Nominees must have at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale, combined with football success and leadership skills.
The NFF will announce 12-to-14 finalists in November. Each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The winner will have his scholarship increased to $25,000 and receive his own 25-pound-bronze version of the statue.
Past winners of the trophy include Penn State’s John Urschel, Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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