Eastern Michigan Athletics
Odukoya Named Semifinalist for Campbell Trophy
9/29/2021 2:34:00 PM | Football
The award combines academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership
IRVING, Texas – Eastern Michigan University senior tight end Thomas Odukoya (Almere, Netherlands-Helen Parkhurst-Garden City C.C.) has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday, Sept. 29.
The honor is given annually to the nation's top collegiate football scholar-athlete who shows combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.
It is the second consecutive year Odukoya has been named a semifinalist.
A 2020 Academic All-MAC honoree, Odukoya was selected a team captain as well as being named to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy and John Mackey Award Watch List. Odukoya competed in all six games as the Eagles starting tight end in 2020. He hauled in two passes, both for touchdowns, in EMU's first game, against Kent State, Nov. 4. Odukoya also recorded career-bests in both yards (33), and longest reception (20 yards) just one week later at Ball State, Nov. 11. He finished the season with five receptions for 48 yards and two scores.
This season, the Almere, Netherlands native caught a touchdown in the Eagles' 59-21 victory over Texas State, Sept. 25. EMU is off to a 3-1 start in 2021, an accomplishment that eighth-year Head Coach Chris Creighton has now accomplished three times with the Green and White, including in consecutive 12-game seasons. Eastern has started with a record of 3-1 just 43 times in the 130-year history of the program.
To be eligible for the selection as the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy winner, semifinalists must maintain at least a 3.2 grade point average and be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility. The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists for the honor on Oct. 27, and each of them will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship as a member of the 2021 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments.
After four weeks of non-conference matchups, the EMU football team is set to open Mid-American Conference play when it travels to The Land of Lincoln for a contest against Northern Illinois University Saturday, Oct. 2. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. CT (2:30 p.m. ET) inside Huskie Stadium.
The game will be televised on ESPN+ where Doug Sherman and Stanford Routt will have the call. As always, fans can hear the game for free on WEMU (89.1 FM) or the Varsity Network app with veteran broadcasters Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick calling the action from the press box.
The honor is given annually to the nation's top collegiate football scholar-athlete who shows combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.
It is the second consecutive year Odukoya has been named a semifinalist.
A 2020 Academic All-MAC honoree, Odukoya was selected a team captain as well as being named to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy and John Mackey Award Watch List. Odukoya competed in all six games as the Eagles starting tight end in 2020. He hauled in two passes, both for touchdowns, in EMU's first game, against Kent State, Nov. 4. Odukoya also recorded career-bests in both yards (33), and longest reception (20 yards) just one week later at Ball State, Nov. 11. He finished the season with five receptions for 48 yards and two scores.
This season, the Almere, Netherlands native caught a touchdown in the Eagles' 59-21 victory over Texas State, Sept. 25. EMU is off to a 3-1 start in 2021, an accomplishment that eighth-year Head Coach Chris Creighton has now accomplished three times with the Green and White, including in consecutive 12-game seasons. Eastern has started with a record of 3-1 just 43 times in the 130-year history of the program.
To be eligible for the selection as the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy winner, semifinalists must maintain at least a 3.2 grade point average and be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility. The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists for the honor on Oct. 27, and each of them will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship as a member of the 2021 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments.
After four weeks of non-conference matchups, the EMU football team is set to open Mid-American Conference play when it travels to The Land of Lincoln for a contest against Northern Illinois University Saturday, Oct. 2. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. CT (2:30 p.m. ET) inside Huskie Stadium.
The game will be televised on ESPN+ where Doug Sherman and Stanford Routt will have the call. As always, fans can hear the game for free on WEMU (89.1 FM) or the Varsity Network app with veteran broadcasters Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick calling the action from the press box.
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