Patrick Ward nominated as outstanding scholar-athlete

Left tackle Patrick Ward is one of 147 candidates for the 2012 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Awards. Ward is also a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented annually to the most outstanding football scholar-athlete in the nation, taking into account an individual’s achievements athletically, academically and in the community.Ward has started 30 consecutive games and was a first-team Capital One Academic All-American in 2011 as well as a two-time Capital One Academic All-District honoree. The mechanical engineering major was selected as NU’s offensive player of the game in the Wildcats’ recent win over South Dakota. He is also a two-time recipient of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten awards.“This year’s candidates truly embody the National Football Foundation’s mission of building leaders through football,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (1997 Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “They are standouts in the classroom and on the field and have become leaders in their respective communities. Each school should take great pride in being represented by such well-rounded young men who will undoubtedly go on to do great things in life.” 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. The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 recipients with the results will be announced via a national press release on Thursday, Oct. 25. Each recipient will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and will vie as finalists for the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy. Each member of the 2012 National Scholar-Athlete Class will travel to New York City to be honored Dec. 4 during the 55th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria, where the winner of the Campbell Trophy will be announced.