IRVING, Texas —After distinguishing himself on the field, in the classroom and in the community, William & Mary senior defensive lineman Carl Fowler was selected as a semifinalist for the 2022 Campbell Trophy.
The award, which is announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame, honors an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Fowler is one of 156 distinguished semifinalists vying for the national honor.
The only three-time team captain in the program’s 130-year history, Fowler has earned 31 career starts and been one of W&M’s top players since his redshirt freshman season. His career totals include 16.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks and 92 tackles.
An outstanding student, he earned his undergraduate degree in public policy and is currently in his third year of law school. Highlighting his long list of academic honors are selections to the FCS Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic All-Star Team and the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team. Additionally, he earned W&M’s Provost Award and was recognized on the Dean’s List and CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll multiple times.
His leadership extends well beyond the football field, as he is a two-year member of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee Student-Athlete Connection Group, which represents the entire Colonial Athletic Association. Additionally, he is a member of the Public Service Fund (general board member) and the Criminal Law Society (advocacy committee member), while he organized a March Against Injustice that raised more than $20,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative.
Fowler has also volunteered with numerous organizations, including Housing Partnerships and Be the Match, and served as a guest reader and speaker at local elementary/middle schools.
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 26, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments. The award winner will be announced during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 6 and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
