NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – Senior football student-athlete Zane Yon (Greencastle, Ind.) was one of only two Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference designees and a group of 179 individuals from across NCAA Divisions I, II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to be named a semifinalist for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy award regarded as the Academic Heisman. His honor marks the second successive year for the Black and Gold to have had a semifinalist, as former standout Eric Beard was so recognized in 2017.

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 31, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 60th NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. The finalists will travel to New York City for the 61st NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 4, 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 29th William V. Campbell Trophy^® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

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.