Nielsen Listed on Scholar-Athlete Award List

Sept. 29, 2011

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa senior linebacker Tyler Nielsen has been named a candidate for the 2011 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award and the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy.

Candidates for the awards must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have at least a 3.2 GPA, have outstanding football ability as a significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

The list is comprised of 127 nominees, each nominated by their school. The nominees average a 3.60 GPA.

Nielsen (6-4, 235) is a native of Humboldt, Iowa. Nielsen has 12 tackles this season with a tackle for a loss, a pass break-up, and a fumble recovery. He has 73 career tackles. Nielsen was previously named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List.

Nielsen has also earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in each of the past three years. He was named to the ESPN/CoSIDA District Seven Academic All-America team in 2010, and has been on the Dean’s List the past three years.

Nielsen has been on Iowa’s Leadership Group the past four seasons. He is a former Gatorade Iowa Football Player of the Year. Off the field, Nielsen is involved with the annual Iowa Football Blood Drive, Hawkeye Reader Program, and Dance Marathon. He is a frequent visitor to patients at the UI Children’s Hospital.

The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 recipients, and the results will be announced via a national press release on Wednesday, October 26. Each recipient will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and will vie as finalists for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy. Each member of the 2011 National Scholar-Athlete Class will also travel to New York City be honored December 6 during the 54th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.