Landon Foster Named Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky senior punter Landon Foster has been named one of 135 semifinalists, including one of 56 from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), for the 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments®, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced. First awarded in 1990, The Campbell Trophy recognizes the nation’s top scholar-athlete.
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.
Foster, a native of Franklin, Tenn., is one of Kentucky’s top scholar-athletes as he maintains a 3.97 grade point average with a major in finance. He was named Academic All-America second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America in 2014 and is a three-time Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll Member. Foster is on track to graduate with honors in May of 2016.
Foster also is very active in the community and has been nationally recognized for his selfless acts of kindness. He was recently named to the prestigious Allstate AFCA Good Works Team which honors student-athletes for making a positive impact on others and their communities. In 2014, Foster represented UK Football on a week-long community service trip to Ethiopia where he interacted with residents of impoverished communities, visited imprisoned men, helped widows, cared for orphans, and helped renovate houses. On the trip, he befriended a 14-year-old boy living in the streets of Korah named Dejene. He was so moved by the boy’s resilience and character to succeed despite his circumstances that Foster worked through an organization called “Adoption Ministry of Youth with a Mission” to pay out of his own pocket to sponsor Dejene. He sent his own money for four months to help pay for his food, clothing, shelter and schooling until Dejene (now named Joshua) was able to move to America with a family from North Carolina.
Foster’s other community service activities include being a frequent visitor to Indian Summer Camp, a cancer survivor camp for kids ages 6-11. He volunteers to speak at local elementary schools and other summer camps and he has taken blankets to Kentucky Children’s Hospital and served as a “Breakfast with Santa” volunteer during Christmas, helping Santa Claus pass out presents.
On the field, Foster is a four-year starting punter who is averaging 41.0 yards per punt in four games this season. His career average of 42.1 is third-best in school history.
The NFF will narrow the finalists to 15 on Oct. 29, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to New York City for the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. At the event, one member of the class will be declared in dramatic fashion the winner of the 26th William V. Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about the National College Football Awards Association.
