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Princeton University Athletics
Atkinson Named One Of 14 National Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Recipients
October 24, 2002 | Football
Oct. 24, 2002
PRINCETON, N.J. - Senior Cameron Atkinson (Mantua, N.J.) is one of 14 members of the 2002 National Scholar-Athlete Class, it was announced today by The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Atkinson, a 2001 second-team Verizon Academic All-America selection, will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, the highest amount given in college football.
Atkinson, a chemistry major, will be recognized at The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's 45th Annual Awards Dinner on December 10, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The dinner will also honor the 2002 College Football Hall of Fame class, which will include former Princeton great Cosmo Iacavazzi '65. That night, one of the 14 recipients will receive the HealthSouth Draddy Trophy, which is presented to the top scholar-athlete in the nation. The winner will have his scholarship increased to $25,000. Atkinson is one of three Division I-AA winners of this award, and he is the only player to win it from the Ivy League.
Atkinson's play on the field has helped Princeton to its best season during his four-year career. The senior tailback needs 35 yards to become the sixth player in program history to reach the 2,000-yard mark for his career. He has recorded four consecutive 100-yard rushing games, the first Princeton player to do that since Keith Elias '94, and he had a career-best 174 yards in Princeton's victory over Brown last weekend. He is currently averaging 6.4 yards per carry this season, which would equal Elias' record mark from the 1992 season.
Atkinson will lead Princeton this weekend as the Tigers host Harvard at 1 p.m. at Princeton Stadium. Both teams are 2-0 in the league. Harvard, the 2001 Ivy League champion, has won nine straight league contests. Princeton hasn't defeated Harvard since 1995, which is also the last time it won an Ivy League football championship. The game can be viewed on CN8 and RCN, and can be heard on WBUD 1260 AM and on the Princeton athletics web site, www.GoPrincetonTigers.com.