IRVING, Texas --- Three senior Moravian University football student-athletes – defensive end Bryan Bendig, defensive end Javi Espinal-Katz and punter/kicker Trevor Yacuboski have been named to the 2023 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society for their excellence in academics. The group gives Moravian a total of 68 NFF Hampshire Honor Society members in 17 years. 

Official National Football Foundation Release Below:

IRVING, Texas (April 12, 2023) --- The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the members of the 2023 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA and sprint football who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers.

An elite group of 1,734 players from 328 schools qualified for membership in 2023, setting a new record for the number of members in a single year during the program's 17-year history. The initiative has now honored 16,370 student-athletes since its inception. Click here for the 2023 list of members.

"We are thrilled to honor another impressive group of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 17 years, 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 be either:

• A senior player, who will graduate this spring/summer, and just completed his final year of playing eligibility in 2022; or
• A graduated player, who has been out of high school at least (3) years;

And must have:

• Attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale); and
• Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2022 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 774 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.

FCS university Harvard led all programs with 27 members in 2023, setting an all-time single-year mark for the most honorees from one school. California led all FBS programs with 18 members; New Haven (CT) was the Division II leader with 12 members; Pomona-Pitzer (CA) led Division III with 23 honorees; Morningside (IA) boasted 19 members, the most in the NAIA; and the Cornell Sprint Football team topped the Collegiate Sprint Football League with 19 honorees.

Fifty-five schools had at least nine honorees in 2023, including Amherst (MA), Brigham Young, Brown, California, California (PA), Carleton (MN), Carnegie Mellon (PA), Case Western (OH), Castleton (VT), Chicago (IL), Columbia, Cornell (CSFL), Dartmouth, Dayton, DePauw (IN), Fordham, Gustavus Adolphus (MN), Harding (AR), Hardin-Simmons (TX), Harvard, Hobart (NY), Indianapolis (IN), Iowa State, Ithaca (NY), Johns Hopkins (MD), Kansas State, Kean (NJ), Macalester (MN), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Middlebury (VT), Minnesota, Morningside (IA), Navy (CSFL), Nebraska, New England (ME), New Haven (CT), North Central (IL), North Dakota, North Dakota State, Northwestern, Pomona-Pitzer (CA), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY), Rhodes (TN), Saint John's (MN), St. Lawrence (NY), St. Thomas, Trinity (CT), Tufts (MA), UCLA, Virginia, Wesleyan (CT), Wheaton (IL), Willamette (OR), Williams (MA) and Wyoming.

Notable players include Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young (Alabama), projected first-round NFL Draft picks Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) and Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech), NFF Campbell Trophy winner Jack Campbell (Iowa), MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Davius Richard (NC Central), YaYa Diaby (Louisville), Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma), Will Levis (Kentucky), Bo Nix (Oregon), and Taulia Tagovailoa (Maryland). 

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 17 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 16,000 student-athletes in the last 17 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 colleges and universities have had at least one player in all 17 years of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society (2007-23), including Brigham Young, Brown, Bucknell, Columbia, Dayton, Iowa, Johns Hopkins (MD), Kentucky, Lafayette, Minnesota, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Penn State, Saint John's (MN), SMU, South Dakota State, Wayne State (MI), West Virginia, Wingate (NC), Yale and Youngstown State. 

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.

About The 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 in 47 states, NFF programs include the selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; 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; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.