Selected as the best and brightest from the college gridiron, The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the 147 candidates for the 2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments®, a leading provider of not-for-profit workplace retirement savings plans in higher education. The 147 nominees also comprise the list of semifinalists for the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation.

Peru State College senior running back Joel Woodhead of North Platte is among the semi-finalists, one of nine nominees from the NAIA level.   Woodhead was pleased with being named a semi-finalist and said, “To be considered for this honor is outstanding just by itself.  However, to be consider along with such outstanding players such as Rex Burkhead of Nebraska, Matt Barkley of USC, and other big names, is really an honor.”