Whether Treyvhon Saunders ’26 is on the field or in the classroom, his approach comes down to one thing: discipline.
For the wide receiver and economics major out of Columbus, Ohio, such a manner has led to exceptional results.
On the field, Saunders is a star for the Raiders, carving through defenses with his explosive speed. Five games into the 2025 season, he leads the nation in receiving yards (682), receiving yards per game (136.4), receptions (49), and receptions per game (9.8). He has eclipsed 100 receiving yards in four of five games this season, including a career-best 223 against Monmouth on Aug. 29.
Plus, earlier this season he broke the program’s all-time receptions record, a mark that stood for more than two decades.
But there’s more.
Saunders added another achievement to his resume in recent weeks that means as much to him as anything he’s accomplished on the field — that achievement being a nomination for the 2025 William Campbell V. Trophy, which is the premier scholar-athlete award in college football. He was later named one of 178 semifinalists.
The last Raider to be named a semifinalist was quarterback Grant Breneman in 2020.
Saunders said he's thrilled to be a semifinalist.
“With all the achievements in football, it’s nice to see the academics being recognized as well,” Saunders said. “It’s indicative of the hard work I put in, whether that’s on the field or off the field. I’m someone who is consistent in everything I do in life. It’s huge to be nominated for that award. It’s amazing to see.”
Education has always been a priority for Saunders. In high school, as he searched for the right college, it was crucial he found a place that offered a strong academic program as well as the opportunity to play D-I football.
For Saunders, the reason he values education is simple.
“I know football won’t last forever,” he said. “I want to set myself up for the future, knowing it’s going to come at some point and that football will eventually end for me. I’ve always been a math guy — good with numbers, good with money. I definitely want to go into business, whether that is private equity, investment banking, things of that nature.”
Thus, as Saunders explored his college options, Colgate stood out. The college offered the chance to study at a top liberal arts institution while playing for a football program with a winning tradition.
When Saunders' college career began, he had to learn to balance athletics and academics. While Colgate’s rigorous academic program tested Saunders, he succeeded in his work by managing his time with care. No matter how many hours he devoted to football, whether in practice or the weight room, he always blocked off enough time to study, he said.
Now, in his final year at Colgate, Saunders is nearly done meeting the requirements of his degree. One task he still must complete is an independent study course in labor economics.
For this project, he plans to research the impact that a superstar athlete has on the stats of his teammates, and whether it leads to winning. He is going to narrow his focus by studying the effect NBA superstar LeBron James has had on his teams.
Saunders, who has been a fan of basketball his whole life, is focusing on an NBA star because the nature of the sport allows for such players to have a bigger impact on all sides of the game.
“I’m going to look at the data and investigate if a superstar has a positive externality to the team or a negative one,” Saunders said.
Overall, Saunders has had a positive experience as a student. The professors and the atmosphere inside the classroom have made his courses much more enjoyable.
“The knowledge spillover at Colgate is wonderful because there are so many smart individuals who work hard,” he said. “When you go to class and everybody is answering questions, people are able to participate in class. Being able to hear the knowledge they have and learning from that and the professor is a great environment at Colgate.”
