By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications

IRVING, Texas – Two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football student-athletes – Black Hills State’s Aaron Thiele and CSU Pueblo’s Jon Nuschy – were among a record number 203 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award, presented by the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame.

The Campbell Trophy is celebrating its 35th year. It recognizes the nation's absolute best football scholar-athlete for his combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.

Thiele, a redshirt senior linebacker from Buffalo, Wyoming, was a 2022 Second Team All-RMAC and First Team Academic All-RMAC honoree. He earned honorable mention All-RMAC last season and RMAC Academic Honor Roll recognition last season. Thiele enters this weekend’s action with 215 career tackles, including 19.5 tackles for loss.

Nuschy, a senior linebacker from La Junta Colorado, received the 2023-24 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award in August. He also was a First Team Academic All-Colorado selection by the National Football Foundation’s Colorado Chapter and was named Second Team All-Colorado by that same organization. Nuschy enters this weekend with 197 career tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 23, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 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 35th Campbell Trophy® and have his 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 2024 season or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and participating in the 2024 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 is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers, and athletics administrators

About the RMAC

The RMAC is a premier NCAA Division II conference located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with 15 member schools. The RMAC sponsors 22 varsity NCAA sports and has produced 65 NCAA Division II national champions and 54 national runners-up since 1992.