Williams and Recker named to NFF Honor Society

Williams and Recker named to NFF Honor Society
IRVING, Texas (April 10, 2019) - The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the members of the 2019 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers. An all-time high of 1,643 players from a record 424 schools qualified for membership in the Society's 13th year. Seniors Ethan Williams (Van Wert) and Kyle Recker (Perrysburg) were both recognized for their outstanding efforts on the field as well as in the classroom.

"We are pleased to see another record number of athletes honored by the Hampshire Honor Society this year," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "For more than a decade, it has become a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program by greatly expanding the number of scholar-athletes the NFF can recognize each year. The program further strengthens the organization's leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes at the 778 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.
 
The 1,643 players honored in 2019 sets a new high water mark, eclipsing the previous record of 1,274 honorees in 2018. The 424 schools represented breaks the previous mark of 308 set in 2018.
 
Click here for the 2019 NFF Honorees
 
The initiative has now honored 10,660 student-athletes since its inception, and the program has experienced growth every year in either members or school participation since its launch in 2007.
Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must have:
  • Completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2018;
    • o   Graduated players, who have remaining eligibility but will not return to collegiate play (e.g. declared for NFL Draft or retired from football), may also be nominated.
  • Achieved a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study;
  • Met all NCAA- or NAIA-mandated progress toward degree requirements; and
  • Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2018 season.

The Hampshire Honor Society represents an important component in the organization's rich history as an innovator in promoting the scholar-athlete ideal, which began in 1959 with the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Launched with a donation from Hall of Fame coach Earl "Red" Blaik, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards became the first initiative in history to grant postgraduate scholarships based on a player's combined academic success, football performance and community leadership. Since its inception, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program has awarded $11.5 million to 854 top scholars and community leaders. 

Selected in the fall, each recipient of an NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award receives an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. Additionally, The William V. Campbell Trophy® is given to one member of each year's class as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation. The winner of the Campbell Trophy® receives a total scholarship of $25,000 and a 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy. Through its chapter network, the NFF also awards an additional $1 million to local high school student-athletes, bringing the NFF's annual scholarship distribution total to more than $1.3 million.

Courtesy of the National Football Foundation