IRVING, Texas – Colorado State University Pueblo graduate student quarterback Chance Fuller (Arlington, Texas/Fort Hays State) has been named by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) as one of the 201 semifinalists 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 football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

Fuller is one of two players from the state of Colorado to make the semifinal list as Caleb Rillos from the United States Air Force Academy is other player from the "Centennial State" to be named a 2023 semifinalist.

In addition, Fuller is one 15 nominees for the Campbell Trophy® from NCAA Division II schools and one of two players nominated from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as Black Hills State senior linebacker Ryder Blair was also named as a semifinalist.

"These 201 impressive candidates truly represent the scholar-athlete ideal," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "During the past seven decades, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards have recognized 906 college football players who excelled as the best our great sport has to offer. This year's semifinalists build on the tradition, further illustrating the power of football to develop the next generation of influential leaders."

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 25 and each of them 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, 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 34th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. 

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the award must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, having 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.

Fuller, who in his first season of playing at CSU Pueblo after playing the past five seasons at Fort Hays State, is ranked in the Top 10 among active Division II players in career passing yards (8,940), career touchdown passes (75), career total offense yards (8,785), career passing yards per game (235.3), career total touchdowns responsible for (77) and career completion percentage (.611). Through four games this season with the Pack, Fuller is among the RMAC leaders in passing yards (845), completion percentage (53 percent), touchdowns (8), passing efficiency (107.5), completions per game (21.8) and total offense yards (787).

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Fuller earned his bachelor's degree in Health & Human Performance and K-12 Teaching and Coaching from Fort Hays State University in December 2021 and his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Fort Hays State in December 2022. He carried a 3.74 GPA in the classroom as an undergraduate and had a 3.81 GPA as a graduate student. Among the academic honors he received during his time at Fort Hays State included being a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, a two-time MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award winner and a six-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

"The NFF would like to personally congratulate each of the nominees as well as their schools and coaches on their tremendous accomplishments," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are extremely proud to highlight each semifinalist's achievements, showcasing their ability to balance academics and athletics at the highest level. The NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the finalists from this outstanding group of candidates."
 
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 65th year in 2023. 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 906 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.6 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 eight 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.
 
Known as "The Coach of Silicon Valley," Campbell became one of our country's most influential business leaders, playing critical roles in the success of Apple, Google, Intuit and countless other high-tech companies. The captain of the 1961 Columbia Ivy League championship team, he found his true calling after an unlikely career change at age 39 from football coach to advertising executive. His ability to recruit, develop, and manage talented executives - all lessons learned on the gridiron - proved to be a critical component of his ability to inspire his business teams to the highest levels of success.

Later in life, Campbell was driven by a heartfelt desire to give back, and he quietly gave away tens of millions of dollars to multiple charities while also finding an hour and half each autumn weekday to coach an eighth-grade boys and girls flag-football team near his home in Palo Alto, California. Campbell passed away April 18, 2016, at the age of 75.