National Football Foundation

Iowa State University tight end Charlie Kolar was named the 32nd recipient of The William V. Campbell Trophy® during the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 7, 2021.

"The first Iowa State player to be named an All-American and an Academic All-American, Charlie Kolar embodies what the Campbell Trophy® represents," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons, Peyton (Campbell Trophy® recipient) and Eli, were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "He has led one of the most successful eras in Cyclone history while graduating with a near-perfect GPA. Charlie stands as the perfect example for the next generation to emulate."
 
The 2021-22 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division I football, Kolar is the only three-time First Team Academic All-American in Iowa State history. He graduated summa cum laude in December 2020 with a 3.99 GPA in mechanical engineering while ranking in the highest two percent of engineering students at the university. He is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in finance.

The 2021 Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year is a four-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 selection. Kolar was the 2020 Big 12 Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award recipient and a three-time First Team Academic All-District honoree. He was also the recipient of the prestigious ISU Alumni Association Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award, which is given annually to a senior who displays high character and outstanding academic achievement.
 
The first and only three-time All-American in Iowa State football history, Kolar was named a 2021 Third Team All-American by Phil Steele after earning Second Team honors from AFCA, FWAA and Walter Camp in 2020 and Third Team accolades from the AP in 2019.

For the second straight season, he was a finalist for the Mackey Award, which is awarded to the nation's top tight end. The only unanimous First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2021, Kolar is one of only 12 players in history to receive First Team All-Big 12 honors three times (2019, 2020, 2021). He also received second team all-conference laurels in 2018.
 
In 2021, Kolar finished second at Iowa State and sixth in the Big 12 with 756 receiving yards while leading the team and being tied for fourth in the conference with six receiving touchdowns. He also finished tied for third in the conference in receptions per game (5.2) and seventh in receiving yards per game (63.0). Kolar recorded a reception in 36 consecutive games to end his collegiate career, the second-longest streak in school history.
 
The team captain set new school single-season tight end records in 2021 for receptions (62) and receiving yards (756). He guided the Cyclones to a 7-6 record in 2021, including a berth in the Cheez-It Bowl and an upset win over then-No. 8 Oklahoma State on Oct. 23. Against Oklahoma on Nov. 20, Kolar set Iowa State single-game tight end records for receptions (12) and receiving yards (152) while playing on the road in his hometown of Norman.
 
In 2020, Kolar guided Iowa State to its first-ever New Year's Six bowl victory, catching five passes for a team-high 53 yards and a touchdown against Oregon in the 2021 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. Kolar led the Cyclones to many other firsts in 2020, including their first-ever Big 12 regular season finish with sole possession of first place in the standings (8-1 conference record), their first-ever appearance in the Big 12 Championship game and their first-ever top 10 final ranking (No. 9).
 
Just the seventh Cyclone to reach 2,000 career receiving yards, Kolar owns virtually all school career records for tight ends, compiling the most receptions (168), receiving yards (2,181) and touchdowns (23). Among all receivers at Iowa State, his career receptions rank fourth, his receiving yards are fourth and his touchdowns rank third.
 
Kolar led the Big 12 and ranked in the top-six nationally among tight ends in back-to-back seasons in receptions (51 in 2019, 44 in 2020), receiving yards (697 in 2019, 591 in 2020) and receiving touchdowns (7 in 2019, 7 in 2020).
 
A member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Kolar has volunteered at Mary Greeley Hospital and read to children at a local elementary school. He has also participated in Marshalltown tornado relief, as well as service with Victory Day and ExerCYse Time.
 
Kolar is Iowa State's first recipient of the Campbell Trophy® and the school's fourth NFF National Scholar-Athlete. He also becomes the fourth winner of the trophy from a team currently in the Big 12.