North Carolina State University Athletics
Isaiah Shirley Named Semifinalist for William V. Campbell Trophy
9/23/2026 2:02:00 PM | Football
RALEIGH, N. C. – NC State defensive lineman Isaiah Shirley is one of 206 semifinalists for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy ®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. Celebrating its 37th year, the Campbell Trophy ® recognizes the nation's best football scholar-athlete for combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.
Collectively, this year's 206 semifinalists include 130 team captains, 24 All-Americans, and 114 all-conference selections.
Shirley is one of 14 ACC players named a semifinalist for the award. He is majoring in sport management with a minor in psychology, holds a 3.8 GPA, and plans to pursue a postgraduate degree in business finance.
Last season, Shirley was named to the All-ACC Academic Football Team and has appeared on the ACC Academic Honor Roll four times. Earlier this year, Shirley was named one of four finalists for the Arthur Ashe Sports Scholars Award. Of 900+ nominees for the award, Shirley was the only football student-athlete named a finalist.
Ahead of the 2026 season, his teammates voted him assistant captain. Through three games in 2026, Shirley has totaled seven tackles, including one tackle for a loss. The Wolfpack have appeared in a bowl game every season Shirley has been on the team.
Shirley, an active member of the community, has spoken at numerous high schools, sharing his testimony and offering advice grounded in his beliefs. He is involved with Uplifting Athletes, an organization that uses sports to build a community that invests in the lives of people affected by rare diseases.
Shirley has already appeared on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and the AFCA Good Works Team.
The NFF will announce 12 to 16 finalists on October 21. Each finalist will receive an $18, 000 postgraduate scholarship and become a member of the 2026 NFF National Scholar- Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments.
The finalists will be recognized at the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, presented by Las Vegas, on December 8 at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. One finalist will be selected as the recipient of the 37th Campbell Trophy®, with his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, are in their 68th year and have recognized 954 individuals. This year's scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution above $ 13 million.
