By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
IRVING, Texas – Tennessee Tech kicker Hayden Olsen was one of a record 203 semifinalists announced on Wednesday by the National Football Foundation for its annual William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's premier scholar-athlete award.
Olsen, a native of Buford, Ga., earned his degree from Tech this past May in Exercise Science, graduating magna cum laude. He was a member of the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association All-Academic Team and has made eight appearances on the Tech Athletic Director's Honor Roll and four on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll. He is currently pursuing his master's degree in curriculum and instruction.
A fixture on the Dean's List, Olsen has also received the James R. Dotson Memorial Scholarship and the J. and D. Dot Miller Scholarship.
After the first three games of this season, Olsen is 92-for-92 on extra points in his career, needing just eight to tie the Ohio Valley Conference record of 100. He is 32-for-46 all-time on field goals with a career-long of 54 kicked against UT Martin last season – tied for the second-longest made field goal in program history behind Nick Madonia's 57-yarder against Tennessee State in 2016.
The 203 semifinalists boast an average 3.63 grade point average with 124 of the semifinalists already receiving their bachelor degrees. Seven have already received advanced degrees. Of the 203, three have a perfect 4.0, 48 have a 3.8 or better and 91 have a 3.7 GPA or better. The list includes 128 team captains, 31 All-Americans and 129 All-Conference selections.
The Football Bowl Subdivision had the most semifinalists with 95, while 41 hailed from the Football Championship Subdivision, 18 from Division II, 44 from Division III and five from the NAIA. The list included 110 offensive players, 78 defensive players and 15 specialists.
Olsen and Eastern Illinois' Elkhanan Tanelus were the only representatives from the Big South-OVC.
"These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (a Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "The Campbell Trophy® continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year's candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow's world."
Each school is limited to one nominee each and each candidate must be a senior in their final year of eligibility or a graduate student/transfer who has already earned a degree, while also having a GPA of at least a 3.2 with strong football ability and demonstrate strong leadership and citizenship.
The National Football Association will pare down the list to 12-to-14 finalists on October 23, with each of them receiving 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 and Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 10. During the event, one member will be declared the winner of the 35th Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
Olsen and his Golden Eagle teammates return to action on Saturday as they head to Boiling Springs, N.C., to take on Gardner-Webb for a Big South-OVC battle.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
