IRVING, Texas — Rising senior Connor Davey has been nominated for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy that is presented by the National Football Foundation (NFF).

The Campbell Trophy is college football's premier scholar-athlete award that annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Often called the "Academic Heisman," semifinalists for the award will be selected in September, while finalists will be picked in October and each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. John Lesinski (2011) and Michael Czarnecki (2015) are two recent Albion student-athletes who were named semifinalists.

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 2026 season or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and is participating in the 2026 season; have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; have outstanding football ability as a starter 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, NFF College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.

Davey started nine games at tight end in 2025, collecting 27 receptions for 219 yards. In 2024, he began the season as a tight end but started the final six games of the season at outside linebacker due to an injury and earned second-team All-MIAA honors after posting 38 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss and a sack, and one interception. 

A member of the Britons' Team Leadership Council and two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree, Davey has served as president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity since his freshman year — a chapter that has been on Albion's campus since 1889. In this leadership role, Davey has organized an annual campus-wide volleyball tournament, community service opportunities at Harrington Elementary school in Albion and an annual Thanksgiving turkey drive. Additionally, Connor is a member of the Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine at Albion, a program designed to give students an accelerated path and firsthand experience in the medical field.

Additionally, the New Hudson, Mich., native is a Dean's List student majoring in kinesiology with a biology minor and aspires to attend physician assistant (PA) school after graduation this upcoming spring.

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.