ORLANDO — For the second consecutive year, UCF linebacker Ethan Barr has been named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced Wednesday.
The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership, and the candidates also comprise the pool of nominees for the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments.
Barr, who joined the Knights in January after spending his first four seasons at Vanderbilt and earning his undergraduate degree in human and organizational development, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership with a 3.91 grade-point average and has earned all A’s through the first month of this fall’s academic coursework.
The Flower Mound, Texas, native has started all three games for UCF this season at linebacker and has made nine tackles with a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. He was voted a team captain for the Knights prior to the season, despite being in his first year with the program.
Barr was a two-time captain for the Commodores and a two-time Southeastern Conference (SEC) Fall Academic Honor Roll selection, in addition to making the league’s First-Year Academic Honor Roll as a freshman.
Last season at Vanderbilt, he was also named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy in addition to earning College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team honors.
In his career, Barr has played in 48 games and has made 228 total tackles, which ranks 35th among active FBS players. Additionally, he owns seven tackles for loss, six pass breakups, three interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble.
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 23, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 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 35th 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 2024 season or graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and participating in the 2024 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, College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 66th year in 2024. 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 922 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.9 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. 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.