Scots’ Petracci in the running for Campbell Trophy

Angelo Petracci, a senior linebacker on The College of Wooster football team, is one of 176 semifinalists for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy, as announced recently by the organization.

Petracci’s having a tremendous season thus far for Wooster (4-3, 3-3 North Coast Athletic Conference). The starting linebacker has been Wooster’s leading or co-leading tackler six times, is averaging 10 tackles per game, and is seeking to become the first Scot to hit triple-digits in tackles since Wooster great Mitchell Czerniak had 125 in 2014.

Petracci led Wooster with 55 tackles during the program’s last full season (2019). That year, Wooster finished third nationally in red-zone defense and 24th nationally in scoring defense. Wooster held the opposition to 162 points and 3,433 yards over 10 games in 2019, the program’s best statistical totals since 2008 and 2011, respectively.

Prior to the season starting, Petracci was among the 109 student-athletes nominated for the 2021 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. He’s a two-time member of the NCAC Academic Honor Roll. On campus, Petracci is a member of Men Working for Change, a student organization that raises awareness on domestic violence and advocates against it. He’s on the executive board of Phi Sigma Alpha and is a former service chair for the college’s Inter-Greek Council.

Last fall Petracci created a study that tested Alzheimer’s susceptible mice in the Morris Water Maze and exposed the mice to Protandim, an antioxidant, in order to observe changes in functional behavior. Other research undertaken by Petracci includes studying human memory errors during car accidents and modifying existing procedures to increase the efficacy of the Loftus and Palmer Study. At present he’s applying forced exercise to rodent models to measure correlates of learning and memory. This Independent Study project aims to support the idea of the cognitive reserve as a means of resistance to brain damage.

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 28, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. One of the finalists will be named the winner of the 32nd Campbell Trophy during the 63rd NFF annual awards dinner, presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 27, and have his postgraduate scholarship increase to $25,000.

The 176 semifinalists were nominated by their institution as the best all-around student-athlete on their respective football team. Each nominee must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, 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. The candidates come from all levels of play in the NCAA and NAIA.