Rutgers Korsak Named Semifinalist for Campbell Trophy

Official Rutgers Football Press Release: 

Rutgers Punter Adam Korsak represents the football team as a semifinalist for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced Wednesday. The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

Korsak earned a Bachelor of Science degree as a labor relations and employment law major in May 2020, a Master of Communication and Media degree with a focus on strategic organizational communication in Nov. 2021 and is currently working on a Master of Labor and Employment Law. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, while also meriting Big Ten Distinguished Scholar status.

From Melbourne, Australia, Korsak became the second player in program history to be voted a team captain for the third time in 2022. He has been active within Chop4Change, a program formed to spread a message of unity and equality amidst the national social justice discussion and to give back to the community in various forms. That includes taking part as a volunteer for Special Olympics New Jersey.

On the field, Korsak has not had a return yard against in 16 attempts the season with a net of 42.06. He was part of a unit that set the NCAA record for net punting average (45.25) in 2021, earning All-America honors from multiple outlets. Overall, Korsak has played in 50 games for the Scarlet Knights, downing 41.7 percent of attempts inside the 20-yard line, booting 50 punts at least 50 yards and not recording a touchback in 140 consecutive kicks dating back to 2019.

Candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing 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 will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 26, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 6.

Brian Leonard earned the award in 2006 when it was named the Vincent DePaul Draddy Trophy.

Rutgers returns to action Saturday at No. 3 Ohio State. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network and the RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network.