MISSOULA — Montana offensive lineman Dillon Botner and Montana State defensive end Kenneth Eiden IV were among five Big Sky Conference players selected as semifinalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy presented by the National Football Foundation.
Now in its 36th year, the Campbell Trophy, also known as the "Academic Heisman," recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, hold at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
With eyes set on medical school and a career as an orthopedic surgeon, Botner, a Whitefish native, has earned bachelor’s degrees with Magna Cum Laude honors in biochemistry, biology and neuroscience. He’s also earned a minor in physics and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in business entrepreneurship, all while maintaining a 3.7 GPA and balancing football at the same time. He’s the only one of the 177 semifinalists to have obtained three bachelor’s degrees.
On the field he’s started every game this season at center to bring his career total to six starts and 42 total appearances for the Griz. A four-time letterman, he was the team’s 2024 Tony Barbour Award Winner for “most inspirational player” after battling back from knee injury. A Week 1 team captain, he’s been a part of offensive lines that have helped pave the way for rushing attacks that have averaged nearly 200 yards on the ground. Three weeks into his final season of eligibility, he’s gone 48-15 in his career as a Grizzly and helped lead the team to the 2023 Big Sky championship.
An active member of the Missoula community, Botner has put in over 46 hours of volunteer work in his time as Grizzly, as well. He’s volunteered at high school sporting events, helped lead Montana’s National Marrow Donor Registry efforts, assisted elderly neighbors of the university rake fall leaves, seeded a burn scar from a fire on Mt. Sentinel, assisted with youth football camps and clinics and much more.
Eiden, an all-conference selection a year ago whose season-closing string of seven straight games with at least a half-sack helped pace the Bobcats to the FCS championship game, was named preseason All-America and All-Big Sky this summer. The Bozeman native graduates this December with an accounting degree and has carried a cumulative 3.5 GPA during his college career.
A second-generation Bobcat — his father Ken played guard for the Cats — and 2025 team captain, Eiden looks to become MSU’s third finalist in the last five years.
The other semifinalists from the Big Sky are Nolan Ulm of Eastern Washington, Eli Simonson of UC Davis and Zach Nowatzke of Northern Colorado.
"This year's 177 semifinalists represent the very best of what it means to play college football," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively.
"They have excelled in the classroom, distinguished themselves on the field and proven to be leaders in their communities. The Campbell Trophy stands as a reminder that football develops complete individuals, and these young men embody that tradition at the highest level."
The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on Oct. 22, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments.
The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 36th Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
(Editor's note: Portions of Montana and Montana State news releases were used in this report.)
