Georgia punter and Prokicker alum Drew Butler was selected as one of 127 candidates for the National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Awards as announced by the NFF and College Hall of Fame. Butler and the other nominees also compromise the list of semifinalists for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation.
Butler is one of three selected from the Southeastern Conference, as Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter and Kentucky offensive lineman Stuart Hines were also two of the 47 candidates from the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Since the inception of the Campbell Trophy in 1990, an SEC student-athlete has captured the award seven times, which is the most of any conference. Georgia’s Matt Stinchcomb won the award in 1998.
“This year’s candidates truly embody the National Football Foundation’s mission of building leaders through football,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning whose sons Peyton (1997 Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “They are standouts in the classroom and on the field and have become leaders in their respective communities. Each school should take great pride in being represented by such well-rounded young men who will undoubtedly go on to do great things in life.”
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 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.
“The NFF would like to personally congratulate each of the nominees for maintaining such high standards throughout their collegiate careers,” said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. “We are extremely proud to showcase their achievements, and there is no question that the NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the final group of honorees from among this esteemed group.”
A native of Duluth, Ga., Butler graduated Cum Laude with a degree in telecommunications and a GPA of 3.62 in May 2011. He is now pursuing his Master’s degree in Sport Management. Named one of 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, Butler was an ESPN Academic All-American in 2010, making him one of only seven Bulldogs in school history to be named an All-American both athletically and academically during their careers. He has also been on the SEC Academic Honor Roll multiple times.
Butler is a two-time Ray Guy Award finalist and won the award in 2009 for being the nation’s top punter. The senior is currently the SEC’s all-time leader in punt average with 46.3 yards after accumulating 5,792 yards over 125 attempts and is on pace to be first in UGA history. Through four games this season, Butler holds a 48.1 average along with a season-long punt of 59 yards against Ole Miss. In 2010, Butler averaged 44.5 yards on 50 punts, including 15 that went 50 or more yards. The Bulldogs ranked second in the SEC and fourth in the nation in net punting with a 40.6 average.
The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 recipients, and the results will be announced via a national press release on Wednesday, October 26. Each recipient will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and they will vie as finalists for the 2011 Campbell Trophy. Each member of the 2011 National Scholar-Athlete Class will also travel to New York City to be honored December 6 during the 54th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. One member of the class will also be announced live at the event as the winner of the Campbell Trophy.
