Dallas – Four Gustavus Adolphus football players have been named to the 2013 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society. The Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who have maintained a 3.2 GPA or better. Gustie seniors earning a place on this year’s team include Brian Grundmeyer (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), Brian Karg (Annandale, Minn.), Brad Kluver (Northfield, Minn.), and Ryan Williams (Minnetonka, Minn.). A total of 703 players from 259 schools qualified for membership in the society’s seventh year, marking the highest school participation in the history of the program, which began in 2007.
Qualifications for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society have three requirements. The first is the athlete needs to be a starter or significant substitute in one’s last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university. The second is the athlete needs to achieve a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout their entire undergraduate studies. The final requirement is they must meet all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements and graduation.
The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF’s current National Scholar-Athlete program 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 who play football at the more than 700 college and universities with football programs nationwide. The initiative has honored 4,081 student-athletes since its inception.
The Hampshire Honor Society represents a powerful component in the organization’s rich history as an innovator in promoting the scholar-athlete ideal. Launched in 1959 with a donation from Hall of Fame coach Earl “Red” Blaik, the NFF’s 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. And, since its inception, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program has awarded $10.1 million to 771 top scholars and community leaders.
– Brian Grundmeyer – Offensive lineman, physics major.
– Brian Karg – Running back, chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology major.
– Brad Kluver – Defensive back, elementary education.
– Ryan Williams – Long snapper, health fitness major.