Off the field, Eli Simonson has spent time volunteering at assisted living homes in his home state of Nebraska. Recently while a Nebraska Cornhuskers member, Simonson joined the team for an annual road race to raise funds to battle pediatric brain cancer. Photo courtesy of UC Davis Athletics

DAVIS, CA (MPG) – University of California, Davis graduate offensive lineman Eli Simonson has been named by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) a 2025 semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation.

Simonson, a history major, is currently working on his Master of Management through the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

A two-time Big Sky All-Academic team honoree in 2023 and 2024, Simonson entered 2025 having started 25 games at left tackle and he entered the year named to the 2025 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team.

Off the field, Simonson has spent time volunteering at assisted living homes in his home state of Nebraska and recently while he was a member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, joined the team for an annual road race to raise funds to battle pediatric brain cancer.

In its 36th year, the Campbell Trophy takes into consideration combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, this year’s Campbell Trophy semifinalists total 177 across all levels of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Known as "The Coach of Silicon Valley," Campbell became one of the country's most influential business leaders, playing critical roles in the success of Apple, Google, Intuit and countless other high-tech companies. The captain of the 1961 Columbia Ivy League championship team, Campbell found his true calling after an unlikely career change at age 39 from football coach to advertising executive. Campbell’s ability to recruit, develop and manage talented executives, all lessons learned on the gridiron, proved to be a critical component of his ability to inspire his business teams to the highest levels of success.
 
Later in life, Campbell was driven by a heartfelt desire to give back and he quietly gave away tens of millions of dollars to multiple charities while also finding an hour and half each autumn weekday to coach an eighth-grade boys and girls flag-football team near his home in Palo Alto. Campbell died April 18, 2016 at age 75.

UC Davis football season tickets are on sale now and fans can visit online ucdavisaggies.evenue.net to secure their spot for the 2025 season. Tickets start as low as $100 for new alumni and $140 for the general public.

Football group ticket discounts start at 10 or more tickets. Aggie fans can also save on tickets by bundling multiple games via the Pick Any 2 or Pick Any 3 Plans that offer a discounted rate versus buying single-game tickets. Both plans can be bought online sat ucdavisaggies.evenue.net/events/FBPACK.

Single game tickets are on sale now and fans can secure their spot at one five home games for as little as $13 a ticket. Visit https://ucdavisaggies.evenue.net/events/FBS to buy single game tickets.