POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Graduate linebacker/long snapper Justin Iaccio of the Marist football team has been named a national semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
 
The Campbell Trophy is in its 34^th year. It recognizes the best football scholar-athlete in the country through a combination of academic success, on-field performance, and exemplary leadership, and is commonly referred to as the "Academic Heisman." This year, there are a record total of 201 national semifinalists.
 
The National Football Foundation (NFF) will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 25. Each will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy winner will be announced on Dec. 5 at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and his postgraduate scholarship will be increased to $25,000.
 
Iaccio is a five-year member of the Marist football program. He has been the team's primary long snapper for the last three years, and he was named First Team All-Pioneer Football League for that role in 2022. He has seen increased action at linebacker throughout the course of his career. This season, Iaccio is the Red Foxes' leader in tackles for loss (two-and-a-half) and sacks (two) while notching 17 tackles. He earned Marist's Male Strength & Conditioning Award at the 2023 Senior Awards Banquet.
 
This past May, Iaccio graduated Magna Cum Laude as he majored in Applied Mathematics. He is currently pursuing his Master's degree in Information Systems with a concentration in Business Analytics. Iaccio was a six-time selection to the Marist Dean's List as an undergraduate. He was named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District in the Fall of 2022, and is a four-time selection to the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll.
 
Iaccio has served as a peer mentor in Marist's Center for Student-Athlete Enhancement, and he has been a mentor for students at Poughkeepsie Middle School. He has also participated in numerous service activities along with members of the football team: the White Ribbon Campaign (aimed at ending violence against women), Hunger Walk (which raises money to feed the hungry locally), and Lift for Life (which raises money toward the fight against rare diseases).
 
Marist, which has won two straight, returns to action on Saturday against Ivy League for Columbia in New York City. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.