Wingate’s Grant is semi-finalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy®
STORY COURTESY OF WINGATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
INFO | Complete National Football Foundation presser
Irving, Texas----For the second year in a row, Wingate University graduate student wide receiver Trevor Grant (Matthews, N.C.) is a semi-finalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. Celebrating its 34th year, the Campbell Trophy® recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is the proud sponsor of this prestigious award. Grant is one of a record 201 semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy®. The new high water mark eclipses the 199 nominees in 2000. The list of candidates boasts an impressive 3.65 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor's degrees.
"Trevor's impact goes way beyond statistics," Wingate head football coach and athletic director Joe Reich says. "He is the quintessential team player. Trevor does anything needed, anything required of him. Most importantly, he is a fantastic leader."
Trevor Grant ('23) quick facts
'23 Wingate Football team captain
- Grant graduated summa cum laude during Wingate's May commencement exercises
- He finished with a 3.975 GPA as an accounting major with a finance minor
- At the 2023 WUSPYS, Grant won the Geddings Award for best overall student-athlete
- He is currently enrolled in Wingate's MAC program while studying for the CPA exam
- In 2023, Grant co-authored an article in the Journal of Finance and Accountancy
- The article is titled "The Impact of Social Media Usage on Business Performance"
- On the gridiron, Grant has 66 career receptions for 900 yards and 13 touchdowns
- Grant is Wingate's 2023 nominee for the AFCA Good Works team
- In 2022, Grant caught a career-best 23 passes for 370 yards and five TDs
- Wingate won a program-best 11 games last year, advancing to the national quarterfinals
- The 'Dogs won two '22 playoff games to make the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time
- He won the SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for football following the '22 season
- As an undergraduate, Grant was a WU Honors Program member, concentrating in business
- A 2022 WU junior marshal, Grant is a member of Alpha Chi national honor society
- He is also a member of the international business honors society of Delta Mu Delta
- Grant served as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Influencer as an undergrad
- He was a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) member for three years
What They Are Saying about Wingate's Trevor Grant
Wingate University Football graduate student quarterback Noah Bell
"Trevor Grant is one of the most disciplined and hardest working people I have ever known. Academically, he is constantly in the school buildings interacting with professors and helping his fellow classmates excel in their studies. I am lucky to call him my teammate and friend."
"Athletically, he has displayed determination and leadership. Throughout his career at Wingate, he has faced multiple injuries that would have ended the majority of athletes' careers; however, Trevor has worked endlessly to get back each time. This year, he was voted team captain which shows how much of an impact he has on our football program. Trevor encompasses everything it means to be a student-athlete and a leader. There is no one more deserving of this award."
WU director of sports performance Dakota Brovero
"Trevor Grant is a strong and passionate leader…being able to see him grow and develop over my three years at Wingate has been an absolute honor. Trevor holds the highest standard for himself in all aspects of training school, and life. This standard he sets for himself has rubbed off on those around him, improving the team as a whole. There is no better guy than Trevor for an award such as this."
WU professor of accounting Richard A. Cook
"Trevor Grant is a very dedicated high-performing scholar-athlete. I have had him in several of my accounting courses during his time at Wingate University. Trevor is a great representative of our student-athlete community, his performance in the classroom has been exceptional. He also volunteers, unpaid, to assist fellow football team members who are struggling with any business classes. Trevor is their 'go-to' resource to ensure their success in the classroom."
"Trevor actively pursued my guidance to assist him with his resume and the pursuit of an accounting internship, which he completed with RSM during the summer of 2023. He never passes on an opportunity to gain knowledge related to the accounting profession. There is no doubt that Trevor will be successful in his chosen field…he is going to be a tremendous hire for whatever company/firm with which he decides to begin his career."
WU Honors College founding dean and associate professor of English Allison Kellar
"Trevor Grant has been a key member of the Honors College and a leader on and off the football field. Trevor is pursuing the master's in accounting degree at Wingate because he greatly values the opportunity to play college football with his team, work with dedicated business faculty and excel as much as he can in academics and athletics in his final year as a student-athlete."
"In Honors classes as an undergrad, Trevor wrote persuasive, well-researched papers, engaged enthusiastically in class discussion, asked great questions and made conversations fun and interesting for his fellow classmates and faculty. He is an insightful, caring and resilient student-athlete whose positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning and life make a dynamic contribution to our campus community."
What's Next
- The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 25
- Each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments
- The finalists will travel to the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5
- Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 34th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000
Campbell Trophy quick facts
- Trevor Grant is the only semi-finalist from the South Atlantic Conference
- Two semi-finalists represent D2 schools in the Carolinas
- In addition to Grant, Benedict (S.C.) College is represented by senior Loobert Denelus
- All total, 15 student-athletes were nominated from NCAA Division II schools
- Grant is one of 121 nominees who have already earned a bachelor's degree
- He is also one of 121 nominees who serve as a team captain
- Legendary NFL and NCAA quarterback Archie Manning is NFF chairman
- His son Peyton won the Campbell Trophy® during his Tennessee career ('97)
- Ten nominees have a perfect 4.000 GPA; the average nominee GPA is 3.65
- Duke's David Helton (2014) is the most recent Campbell Trophy® winner from an N.C. college or university
- The 2022 Campbell Trophy® winner was Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell