ALBANY, Ga. – Albany State University quarterback Isaiah Knowles has been named one of 178 semifinalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced.

The Campbell Trophy® recognizes an elite group of student-athletes who demonstrate excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in leadership roles within the community. This year's semifinalist class features representatives from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boasting a collective 3.60 average GPA, with more than half having already earned their bachelor's degrees.

Knowles, a standout leader for the Golden Rams, is the only Division II HBCU player represented among the 2025 semifinalists, underscoring both his athletic and academic achievements on a national stage.

The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on Oct. 22, each of whom will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments. 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 one student-athlete will be declared the winner of the 36th Campbell Trophy®, receiving an increased postgraduate scholarship of $25,000.

Since its inception in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program has recognized 938 outstanding individuals and awarded more than $13.2 million in scholarships. First presented in 1990, the Campbell Trophy® has honored some of the sport's most remarkable student-athletes, including Rhodes Scholars, Heisman Trophy winners, and NFL first-round draft picks.

Albany State proudly celebrates Knowles' achievement as a testament to the program's continued tradition of excellence both on and off the field.

For more information on the William V. Campbell Trophy®, including a list of past winners and details about the NFF Annual Awards Dinner, visit footballfoundation.org.  

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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football with all teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.