7:32 am | October 31, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
Kansas State’s Dalton Risner has been named a finalist for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy, as announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame Today.
The Campbell Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. Fidelity Investments is a proud partner of the Campbell Trophy.
Only the fifth player in Kansas State history to be a three-year captain, Risner’s leadership has allowed him to be a force both on the field and in the community. The Wiggins, Colorado, native is the sixth NFF National Scholar Athlete in K-State history and the 20th Big 12 student-athlete to earn the accolade.
Boasting a 3.60 GPA, Risner graduated with a degree in communication studies in December 2017 while minoring in leadership and also earning a certification in coaching. A three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection, Risner earned first team honors the last two seasons and second team laurels in 2015. Additionally, he was named the 2018 Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year.
This season, Risner has led the Wildcat offense to the third highest rushing yards in the Big 12 (1,478) as well as blocking for the conference’s leading rusher, Alex Barnes (816 yards). Kansas State is averaging 342.4 yards per game and 22.1 points per game.
Named a 2017 First Team All-American by Pro Football Focus, Risner has started in every game of his college career. In 2017, he guided a Wildcats offense that tied for third place in school history in rushing yards per carry (4.98) while also finishing seventh in program history with 2,584 total rushing yards. In 2016, Risner led an offensive line that paved the way for a school record 5.27-yard per carry average. A 2015 First Team Freshman All-American and two time First Team All-Big 12 selection, Risner has led K-State to three consecutive bowl games, including wins in the 2016 Texas and 2017 Cactus bowls.
A member of the 2018 AFCA Good Works Team, Risner created the RiseUp Foundation, which encourages others to rise above evil and be a shining light in others’ lives. He serves as a big brother to a young boy battling leukemia, visiting him numerous times throughout the year, and he spends time with kids battling cancer at Camp Home. Risner actively visits the Buttonwood Special Needs Home and serves as a guest speaker at numerous schools in the Manhattan area and in his hometown in Colorado.
The 13 finalists will each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 60th NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, and they will travel to New York City for the 61st NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 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 the winner of the 29th William V. Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. The event, which will take place at the New York Hilton Midtown, will be live streamed on ESPN3, starting at 7:30 p.m. CT.
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