Middlebury linebacker Matt Shaw has been named one of 206 semifinalists across all NCAA three divisions and the NAIA for the 2026 National Football Foundation's (NFF) William V. Campbell Trophy. 

SHAW'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Shaw paced the Panther defense with 13 tackles and four solo stops in the season opener against Wesleyan. His 13 tackles pace his NESCAC peers.
• The two-year captain is a NESCAC All-Academic honoree.
• He is majoring in political science at Middlebury.
• A year ago, Shaw paced the Middlebury defensive unit with 64 total tackles, while his 41 assisted tackles slotted fourth in the conference. 

ABOUT THE AWARD

• The award is presented to the player who has shown outstanding ability on the field and demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship, all while maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 or higher.
• This year's list of candidates boasts an impressive 3.64 combined GPA. Shaw is one of four NESCAC nominees and among 44 student-athletes at the Division III level to be named semifinalists.
• The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on October 21. Each finalist receives an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments.
• The 206 semifinalists include 130 captains and 114 all-conference selections.
• To view more information about the award and the semifinalists, click here.

The Panthers head to Bowdoin on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.