Iowa running back Mark Weisman was named one of 167 semifinalists for the 2014 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award.

“It is a pleasure to recognize Mark Weisman as a semifinalist for the 2014 Campbell Trophy,” Chris Kearney, volunteer board president of the Chicago Metro Chapter of the National Football Foundation, said in a release. “I enjoyed meeting Mark in July. He has clearly earned this honor as one of college football’s top scholar-athletes, just as he was highly regarded and well-respected at Stevenson High School in suburban Chicago.

“On behalf of the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter, we are delighted that Mark was selected for this distinction, based on his excellence on the football field and in the classroom.”

Each candidate was nominated by his respective school, which are limited to one nominee each.

Candidates for the award must be a senior or graduate student in his final year of eligibility, must have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have “outstanding football ability” as a first-team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

Up to 16 candidates can be selected as finalists for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy in late October, and each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.

The scholar-athlete program was launched in 1959, and was the first known initiative in history to award postgraduate scholarships based on a player’s academic and athletic accomplishments.

Former Iowa linebacker James Morris was one of 16 finalists for the 2013 Campbell Trophy.

The native of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, leads Iowa with 184 net rushing yards on 54 carries. He has also scored 4 touchdowns this season.

— by Cody Goodwin