Four BYU players named to 2018 Hampshire Honor Society

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IRVING, Texas – Four BYU football players, Cody Stewart, Keyan Norman, Jonny Linehan and Grant Jones were named to the 2018 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society on Wednesday morning.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who have finished their playing eligibility and maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers.

With four more this year, BYU leads all FBS programs with 54 total selections since the Hampshire Honor Society began in 2007. Next up is Minnesota (46), Ohio State (42), Nebraska (41) and Duke (37) to round out the top five. 

“We are pleased to see another record number of athletes honored by the Hampshire Honor Society this year,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Over the past 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 1,250 players honored in 2018 sets a new high water mark, eclipsing the previous record of 1,103 honorees in 2017. The 302 schools with members ties the previous mark also set in 2017.

Qualifications for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society include the following:

  • Being a starter or a significant contributor in one’s last year of eligibility (or a graduated player who has declared for the NFL Draft) at an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III or an NAIA college or university
  • Achieving a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study
  • Meeting all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress towards degree requirements

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, presented by Fidelity Investments, 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 $11.3 million to 841 top scholars and community leaders.