IRVING, Texas - For the first time ever, a Gardner-Webb football player has earned a nomination for the William V. Campbell Trophy, as William McRainey earned a spot on the nomination list announced on Thursday, Aug. 17.

The William V. Campbell, formerly the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy, is awarded by the National Football Foundation to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the "Academic Heisman." Players at all three levels of NCAA football and at the NAIA level are eligible for the award. 

On the field, McRainey has been a stalwart at the linebacker position for the Runnin' Bulldogs, starting in all 28 games he has played in at GWU. The past two seasons, the Shallote, N.C. native has recorded at least 100 tackles, recording 104 last season to lead his team. McRainey also recorded 5.5 sacks and an interception.

In 2021, McRainey led the Big South Conference and ranked inside the top-15 in the nation in tackles, tallying 109 takedowns, along with 13.0 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. McRainey earned the Big South Defensive Player of the Week honor on Sept. 21, 2021, after recording 17 tackles (12 solo) and a tackle for loss in Gardner-Webb's 52-34 win over Western Carolina. 

McRainey is a two time First Team All-Big South member, and was just recently named captain for the Runnin' Bulldogs by Head Coach Tre Lamb for the upcoming 2023 season.

Off the field, McRainey has earned his way on to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll in three straight seasons, an honor given to Big South athletes who have a GPA of at least 3.50. McRainey became the first Runnin' Bulldog since Mario Brown in 2009 to earn the Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year Award for football, graduating this past summer from Gardner-Webb with a 3.55 GPA while earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance.

The senior has also helped the GWU football team in the community, assisting in Habitat for Humanity and in community service projects around campus and at local elementary schools in Shelby and Boiling Springs with his teammates. 

The semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy will be announced on Sept. 27, with finalists being announced on Oct. 25. The winner will be announced on Dec. 5 at the 65^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas, Nev. Each finalist receives an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. During the event, one member of the class is selected as the recipient of the Campbell Trophy as the best football scholar-athlete in the nation and has his postgraduate scholarship increased to a total of $25,000. Past winners of the Campbell Trophy include Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, Christian Wilkins and Justin Herbert.