Courtesy of Norfolk State Athletic Communications
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State graduate student wide receiver Marcque Ellington was named a semifinalist for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda on Thursday, the National Football Foundation announced.
Celebrating its 31st year in 2020, the award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Ellington is one of just two semifinalists from the MEAC, one of 45 from the Division I FCS level, and one of 199 across all levels of NCAA football. This is the second consecutive year NSU has had a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, following defensive lineman Ricky Thomas Jr. in 2019.
The NFF will announce 12-to-14 finalists in November, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. Later this year, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 31st Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, having his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000 and receiving his own 25-pound-bronze version of the iconic statue.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards 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, 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.
Ellington is in his fifth year at NSU. He started 11 of the Spartans' 12 games last year and finished with 25 receptions for 302 yards. Ellington caught two touchdown passes for the year and hauled in at least one pass in 10 games.
Academically, Ellington earned his bachelor's degree in in business marketing in three and a half years, graduating cum laude in December 2019. He is currently enrolled in NSU's cybersecurity graduate school program.
Ellington is also active in the local Hampton Roads Community and in his hometown in New Jersey. He has served at the Norfolk Ronald McDonald House, taken part in clothes and community clean-up drives, and worked with youth as a volunteer basketball camp counselor in New Jersey.
The award is named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal.