Wednesday, April 14, 2021
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced the members of the 2021 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. Thirty-six Pioneer Football League student-athletes qualified for membership in the Society’s 15th year. 

The 36 PFL student-athletes, from six schools, recognized were:

• Mickey Kane, Butler University
• Will Berkey, Davidson College
• James Boyle, Davidson College
• Andrew Brantley, Davidson College
• Tyler Chisholm, Davidson College
• Louis Colosimo, Davidson College
• Callen Davidson, Davidson College
• TJ Elliott, Davidson College
• Collin Hairr, Davidson College
• Tate Kipperman, Davidson College
• Stachel Moore, Davidson College
• Tyler Phelps, Davidson College
• Pat Tabor, Davidson College
• Nick Bart, University of Dayton
• Anthony Best, University of Dayton
• Kevin Bickett, University of Dayton
• Kyle Butz, University of Dayton
• Logan Moews, University of Dayton
• Austin Newland, University of Dayton
• Nate Obringer, University of Dayton
• Jay Vallie, University of Dayton
• Allen Waltz, University of Dayton
• Jacob Bacon, Drake University
• Brady Bjorkman, Drake University
• Chris Evans, Drake University
• Jacob Hardy, Drake University
• Victor Jergens, Drake University
• Andrew Kriceri, Drake University
• Benjamin Neinhuis, Drake University
• Collin Seymour, Drake University
• Ben Stoy, Marist College
• Cade Bishop, Valparaiso University
• Doug Haugh, Valparaiso University
• Ben Niesner, Valparaiso University
• Carter Puckett, Valparaiso University
• Gavin Twigg, Valparaiso University

An elite group of 910 players from 255 schools qualified for membership in 2021, the Society’s 15th year. The initiative has now honored 13,077 student-athletes since its inception.

“We are pleased to honor another impressive group of athletes as part of this year’s Hampshire Honor Society,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “For more than a decade, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as 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.”

 Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must have:

• Completed their final year of playing eligibility in Fall 2020 or Spring 2021;
  • 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.
• Attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale);
• Met all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress towards degree requirements; and
• Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2020-21 season.

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 765 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all 2020 fall athletes. Many seniors have decided to take advantage of this, and because they will return to the field in 2021, are not featured in this year’s Hampshire Honor Society.

Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of The Hampshire Companies, provided the funds to launch the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in 2007. He made the contribution as part of his legacy to the organization after serving as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006. He currently serves the organization as chairman emeritus. Each player awarded with membership in this year’s Honor Society will receive a certificate commemorating his or her achievement.

“It was my great privilege to endow the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which has greatly increased the number of college student-athletes the NFF has been able to recognize during the past 15 years,” said Hanson. “Nationwide there are thousands of football players excelling in the classroom, and they are going on to become great leaders.”

“We have honored more than 13,000 student-athletes in the last 15 years thanks to Jon Hanson’s generosity,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “We are grateful for his passionate belief in the scholar-athlete ideal, and the Hampshire Honor Society allows us to showcase the names of tomorrow’s leaders while inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.” 

Twenty-two schools had at least nine honorees in 2021, including Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon (PA), Case Western Reserve (OH), Catholic (DC), Chicago (IL), Davidson, Dayton, DePauw (IN), Doane (NE), Franklin and Marshall (PA), Gustavus Adolphus (MN), Hobart (NY), Ithaca (NY), Johns Hopkins (MD), Nebraska Wesleyan, Redlands (CA), Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN), St. Thomas (MN), Wabash (IN), Washington Univ. in St. Louis (MO), Wesleyan (CT) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA).

Twenty-six colleges and universities have had at least one player in all 15 years of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society (2007-21), including Brigham Young, Brown, Bucknell, Columbia, Dayton, Huntingdon (AL), Iowa, Johns Hopkins (MD), Kentucky, Lafayette, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Penn State, Redlands (CA), Saint John’s (MN), SMU, South Dakota State, Wartburg (IA), Washington Univ. in St. Louis (MO), Wayne State (MI), West Virginia, Wingate (NC) and Yale.

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. Click here to learn more.

About the Hampshire Foundation

The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully-integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.

AboutThe National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Future for Football, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Goodyear, Jostens, the New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.