IRVING, Texas – Two Brevard College Football student athletes – seniors Tyler Gregory and Ryan Jordan - have been named members of the 2019 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.   The National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society 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.

Gregory, a senior set to graduate from Brevard College with a degree in Business and Organizational Leadership, played both running back and quarterback during his career with the Tornados. In his BC career, he rushed for 670 yards and 12 touchdowns while also passing for 326 yards and four touchdowns.  A prolific receiver as well, he grabbed 72 receptions for 762 yards and six touchdowns in his career.

Jordan, a senior who will graduate with a Criminal Justice degree, played quarterback for the Tornados.  In ten career games, Jordan completed 54 passes for 647 yards.

"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."

Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of The Hampshire Companies, provided the endowment 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 13 years," said Hanson. "Nationwide there are thousands of football players excelling in the classroom, and they are going on to become great leaders. The NFF Hampshire Honor Society continues to grow and allows us to shine a light on their hard work."

"We have honored more than 10,000 student-athletes in the last 13 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." 

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

• Completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2018;
• 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. 

To view the complete list of 2019 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society members, go to https://footballfoundation.org/documents/2019/4/9//2019_Hampshire_Honor_Society_Members_FINAL.pdf

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