Lehigh University Athletics
Photo by: Hannah Ally
Brown Named Semifinalist for William V. Campbell Trophy
9/23/2026 11:02:00 AM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Lehigh senior defensive back DJ Brown has been named one of 206 semifinalists for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced Wednesday. The William V. Campbell Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.Â
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A Folsom, Calif., native, Brown holds a 3.65 cumulative GPA majoring in political science. He is a three-year member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and was named to the Academic All-Patriot League team in 2024. Brown also earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators in 2024 and 2025.
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A four-year contributor and now a two-year starter at cornerback, Brown has appeared in 41 career games for the Mountain Hawks. He has 112 career tackles and two interceptions, including a game-clinching, one-handed pick in last Saturday's 24-20 Lehigh victory over Dartmouth.
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Through four games this season, Brown has 10 tackles, an interception and six pass breakups.
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Brown made 44 tackles as a junior in 2025, including a season-best eight in Lehigh's Patriot League Championship-clinching win at Lafayette, and led the Mountain Hawks with 11 pass breakups.
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This marks the eighth time in the last 10 years that a Lehigh football player has been named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy. Recent honorees for the Mountain Hawks include Mike DeNucci in 2024 and Brycen Edwards last season.
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The 206 semifinalists were nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee per school. Candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility and must have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale while also displaying outstanding football ability and strong leadership and citizenship. The candidates come from all levels of play in the NCAA and the NAIA. 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.Â
From the 206 semifinalists, the National Football Foundation will announce 12-16 finalists on October 21 and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. One of the finalists will be named the winner of the 37th Campbell Trophy during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8 and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
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The Mountain Hawks travel to Penn on Saturday to face the Quakers at Franklin Field at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and televised locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Audio coverage will be available on FOX Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFOXSports.com.
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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A Folsom, Calif., native, Brown holds a 3.65 cumulative GPA majoring in political science. He is a three-year member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and was named to the Academic All-Patriot League team in 2024. Brown also earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators in 2024 and 2025.
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A four-year contributor and now a two-year starter at cornerback, Brown has appeared in 41 career games for the Mountain Hawks. He has 112 career tackles and two interceptions, including a game-clinching, one-handed pick in last Saturday's 24-20 Lehigh victory over Dartmouth.
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Through four games this season, Brown has 10 tackles, an interception and six pass breakups.
Â
Brown made 44 tackles as a junior in 2025, including a season-best eight in Lehigh's Patriot League Championship-clinching win at Lafayette, and led the Mountain Hawks with 11 pass breakups.
Â
This marks the eighth time in the last 10 years that a Lehigh football player has been named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy. Recent honorees for the Mountain Hawks include Mike DeNucci in 2024 and Brycen Edwards last season.
Â
The 206 semifinalists were nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee per school. Candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility and must have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale while also displaying outstanding football ability and strong leadership and citizenship. The candidates come from all levels of play in the NCAA and the NAIA. 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.Â
From the 206 semifinalists, the National Football Foundation will announce 12-16 finalists on October 21 and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. One of the finalists will be named the winner of the 37th Campbell Trophy during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8 and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
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The Mountain Hawks travel to Penn on Saturday to face the Quakers at Franklin Field at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and televised locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Audio coverage will be available on FOX Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFOXSports.com.
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Players Mentioned
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