Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina's Micah Nelson was today among a remarkable list of 177 semifinalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. The impressive lists of candidates, from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boast an impressive 3.60 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists – 91 total – having already earned their bachelor's degree.
 
Nominated for a second time during his career, Nelson is one of 44 nominees from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). He is also one of two representatives from the Southern Conference, joined by graduate student OL Mike Bartilucci from The Citadel.
 
Nelson has already received his Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) in Health and Physical Education, which he was awarded in May 2024. He is currently pursuing his Master's degree in Sport Management, which he is on track to complete this December. As part of his final course in his Capstone requirement, Nelson is currently working through a 200-hour internship and developing a project that he leads. Through his internship, Nelson has a mixture of academics -- checking in on freshmen and sophomores, while also working closely with the football academic advisor; student-athlete development, where he will lead a "Whee Climb" program for football student-athletes over WCU's Fall Break to discuss how sport develops transferable skills that you can take with you to workplace; and football operations where he has been in support staff and game operations meetings, providing student-athlete perspectives and feedback.
 
On the field, Nelson has seen action over five seasons, originally redshirting out of high school in 2019 and receiving a medical redshirt in 2023, though he was voted first-team preseason All-Southern Conference by the league's head coaches. Ahead of this season, Nelson was a second-team All-SoCon honoree who attended preseason Media Day in Greenville, S.C. Through 45 career games at defensive end – or bandit in the current scheme – Nelson has amassed 129 total tackles, including 13 for loss with five sacks.
 
Along with many of his teammates a year ago, Nelson participated in the team initiatives following the tragedies of Hurricane Helene, helping unload airplanes carrying much-needed supplies at the Asheville and Cullowhee airports during the recovery efforts. He actively participates in the team's local initiatives, opening doors for car riders in the mornings to transport school-age children in the local town of Sylva, and helps with Rockin' Readers, reading to school children and serving as a positive role model. He's also helped with the football clinic in Cherokee, N.C., working with and providing a positive role model for the youth.
 
Originally from Murphy, N.C., where he remains an active part of the community, Nelson is a two-time nominee for the National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy, considered the Academic Heisman in college football. He also earned a spot on the NFF Hampshire Society following the 2024 season. Nelson is a four-time Fall Academic All-SoCon selection, two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree, and has been on the SoCon Academic Honor Roll six times dating back to 2019. He boasted a cumulative grade point average of 3.746 as an undergraduate student.
 
The National Football Foundation (FFF) is celebrating the 36th year of the Campbell Trophy, which will be awarded at the 67th annual NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments.
 
The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on Oct. 22, and each of them will receive a $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The 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 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 36th Campbell Trophy® and have their 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 2025 season or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and is participating in the 2025 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 comprises a nationally recognized group of media, NFF College Football Hall of Famers, and athletics administrators.
 
This year's 177 semifinalists include 55 nominees with a 3.8 GPA or higher, including five with a perfect 4.0 GPA, while 74 have a GPA of 3.7 or higher. Ninety-four have collected all-conference honors, while 20 earned All-America status with 13 Academic All-America selections. A combined 91 nominees have already earned their bachelor's degree – including one player with three bachelor's degrees – and five who have earned a Master's degree, one player having collected two Master's degrees.
 
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments 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 938 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $13.2 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. Click here for a list of the past winners of the trophy.
 
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.
 
Western Carolina (1-3, 1-0 SoCon) steps out of conference one final time in the regular season on Saturday, Sept. 27, traveling to Buies Creek, N.C., for the first time in the football program's history for a meeting with the Campbell Camels (1-3), who also earned their first seasonal win on Saturday with a double-overtime victory over Bryant. Kickoff of Campbell's third-straight home game at Barker-Lane Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast through FloSports (a paid subscription is required), with linear television options available in eastern North Carolina, including Raleigh, Greenville, and Wilmington (see below for more information).
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports; FB.com/catamountsportsnetwork) and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB).
 

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Broadcast Options for Saturday at Campbell:
 
Game 5: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025  •  3:30 p.m.
Location: Buies Creek, N.C. (Barker-Lane Stadium – 5,500) 
Records: Western Carolina (1-3) at Campbell (1-3) 
Campbell Live Stats Link 
  
BROADCAST INFORMATION: 
Video Stream: FloCollege (subscription required) – CLICK HERE
PxP: Lendl Suggs; Analyst: Jay Sonnhalter 

Linear Television Options:
Raleigh, NC
Over-the-air: WRAL 5.2
Spectrum Cable: 1255
 
Greenville, NC
Over-the-air: WITN 7.2 MyNetworkTV
Spectrum Cable: Channel 1215
Optimum Cable: Channel 138
Mediacom: Channel 5
 
Wilmington, NC
Over-the-air: WECT 6.3 
Spectrum Cable: Channel 1246
 
Radio: Catamount Sports Network 
PxP: Gary Ayers; Analyst: Daniel Hooker; Producer: Jeff Bryson 
  
CSN Affiliates: 
Sylva – 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC 
Franklin – 104.9 FM / 1050 AM WFSC 
Asheville – 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio
Marion – 103.9 FM WBRM - BIGFOOT Country

Online: CatamountSports.com  - Click HERE to Listen to CSN