The West Virginia University Football program had ten players named to the Hampshire Honor Society by The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, according to an April 8 announcement from the organization.
The recognition highlights academic achievement among college football players. The Hampshire Honor Society celebrates student-athletes who have excelled both on the field and in the classroom, requiring a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2.
This year’s honorees from West Virginia are Jaden Bray, Reid Carrico, Kade Hensley, Carson Lee, Oliver Straw, Kekoura Tarnue, Edward Vesterinen, Jordan Walker, Chase Wilson and Walter Young Bear. Each was nominated by their institution for maintaining high academic standards while contributing as starters or key members of the team.
NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell said: “Twenty years ago, college coaches around the country came to the National Football Foundation asking us to recognize not just their top student-athlete, but the numerous student-athletes on their teams who were also excelling at the highest levels in the classroom. Their voices led to the creation of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, and two decades later, the results speak for themselves. Year after year, we continue to see remarkable academic achievements across college football.”
This marks both a record number of honorees for West Virginia and a milestone anniversary for the society itself. Since its founding in 2007 with support from Jon F. Hanson as part of efforts to promote academic excellence through football programs nationwide, sixty-nine Mountaineers have been named over twenty years.
West Virginia is one of only seven Power Four schools—and one of twenty-three colleges overall—to have had at least one player selected every year since 2007 alongside institutions such as BYU and Penn State.
A total of 2,596 players from 365 schools qualified for membership in 2026—the largest group ever recognized by this initiative during its two-decade history.
NFF Chairman Archie Manning said: “To see this program reach 20 years with a record number of honorees is really special. As the world of college football faces an era of transition, one thing remains the same: the game’s ability to develop well-rounded student-athletes committed to excellence in the classroom as well as on the field. The Hampshire Honor Society provides an important platform for us to recognize…the value of game in developing leaders while shining a light on their individual accomplishments.”
