CHICAGO, Ill. – The academic accolades continue to pour in for William McRainey, as the linebacker was named a finalist for the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
 
The ninth annual award, named after the late school teacher and wife of legendary coach Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson, is presented to an FCS student-athlete who excels on the playing field, in the classroom and across the community.
 
The announcement comes one day after McRainey was named Big South-OVC Scholar Athlete of the Year. McRainey also earned a spot on the All-Academic Team for the second straight season. The Shallotte, N.C. native graduated with a 3.55 GPA in Economics & Finance in July, and currently holds a 4.0 GPA while pursuing his MBA. McRainey became the first ever Gardner-Webb football player to be named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, and was one of just 39 FCS players to do so.
 
On the field, McRainey was a First Team All-Conference selection for the third straight season. The senior led Gardner-Webb in the regular season with 90 tackles, picking up 11 tackles in back-to-back games against Austin Peay and Robert Morris, and 14 tackles, along with an interception, against Eastern Kentucky. McRainey now has 323 tackles for his career, just the 20th player in GWU football history to do so and the 13th most for any Gardner-Webb player in program history. McRainey also had five pass break ups, including one on a two-point conversion to preserve a 45-44 win for GWU over Bryant.
 
Fifteen FCS players – one from each conference involved in college football's Division I subdivision – were announced as finalists for the 2023 FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
The recipient will be announced on Dec. 12. He will be honored at the FCS National Awards banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – on the eve of the national championship game.