The following is a release courtesy Notre Dame athletics:
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame fifth-year senior offensive guard Chris Stewart (Spring, Texas/Klein H.S.) has been selected a 2010 National
Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation. A total of 16
recipients were named this year for their outstanding accomplishments in the
classroom, on the field and in the community.
As a National Scholar-Athlete, Stewart receives an $18,000 postgraduate
scholarship and is one of 16 finalists for the 21st William V. Campbell
Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the
absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation and often referred to as "The
Academic Heisman."
Renamed last fall in honor of Bill Campbell, the
chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and
the 2004 recipient of the National Football Foundation’s Gold Medal, the
award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate
scholarship. A total distribution of $300,000 in scholarships will be
awarded that evening
Stewart is the 16th Notre Dame football player to receive the scholarship
and second in the past four years. Only Nebraska (20) and Ohio State (19)
have had more players selected since the program began in 1959.
The only player in Notre Dame's storied football history to tackle football
and law school simultaneously, Stewart embodies the phrase working hard and
playing hard.
A 2009 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District selection, Stewart
finished his undergraduate studies in History in only three and a half
years. He was a member of the History Honors Program and was inducted into
the Phi Alpha Theta honor fraternity.
Stewart has started more career games (30) than any other Irish player on
the offensive side of the ball. He also carries a 22-game starting streak
into this weekend¹s contest with Tulsa. Stewart helped the Irish finish last
season as the eighth-best offense in the country, averaging 451.8 yards per
game, and is helping the Notre Dame passing attack outgain opponents
282.9-232.6 yards per game this season.
Actively involved in numerous outreach efforts, Stewart journeyed to Haiti
during his 2009 spring break to help with the relief efforts following the
deadliest earthquake in the nation's history. He volunteered all last summer
at the South Bend Youth Center and has participated in a fine arts
initiative for area children. Stewart has also visited local children's
hospitals and raised funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
Stewart will be one of the honored guests at the National Football
Foundation’s Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 7 in New York City at the
Waldorf-Astoria. The event will also include the induction of the 2010
College Football Hall of Fame Class and the presentation of several major
awards, including the organization's highest honor, the Gold Medal, to
American icon Bill Cosby and the Distinguished American Award to renowned
journalist and author Tom Brokaw.
Nominated by their respective school, which are limited to one nominee each,
candidates must have been a senior or graduate student in their final year
of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale,
have outstanding football ability as a first team player and have
demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
The 121 semifinalists for the award were announced on Sept. 30, and the class is selected each year by the National Football Foundation Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and
athletics administrators.
2010 National Scholar-Athletes
(Student-athlete, position, school, GPA, major)
Sam Acho (DE, Texas: 3.55 – Business)
Anthony Castonzo (OT Boston College: 3.45 – Biochemistry)
Ben Chappell (QB, Indiana: 3.70 – Accounting)
Alex Gross (LB, Columbia: 3.58 – Sociology)
Owen Marecic (FB/LB, Stanford: 3.47 – Human Biology)
Greg McElroy (QB, Alabama: 3.83 – Business Marketing)
Mike Mohamed (LB, California: 3.43 – Business)
Travis Nissley (LB, Bucknell: 3.96 – Mechanical Engineering)
Isaac Odim (RB, Minnesota Duluth: 3.85 – Mechanical Engineering)
Christian Ponder (QB, Florida State: 3.73 – Finance)
Derek Sherrod (OT, Mississippi State: 3.54 – Business)
Nate Solder (OT, Colorado: 3.51 – Biology)
Chris Stewart (OG, Notre Dame: 3.54 – History)
Scott Tolzien (QB, Wisconsin: 3.50 – Consumer Affairs)
Ben Wartman (HB, Saint Thomas (Minn.) : 3.89 – Finance)
Stefen Wisniewski (OG, Penn State, 3.91 – Secondary Education)