IRVING, Texas – Nine Southern Conference student-athletes were honored by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) for their academic prowess Wednesday, as they earned inclusion in the 2018 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which 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 1,251 players from a record-tying 302 schools qualified for membership in the society's 12th year.

Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must have: completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2017 (graduated players, who have remaining eligibility but will not return to collegiate play may also be nominated); achieved a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study; and met all NCAA- or NAIA-mandated progress toward degree requirements.

The NFF's full release can be found here.

The SoCon’s nine honorees were:

Thomas Marchman, Mercer
Caleb Yates, Mercer
Alexander Hooper, Chattanooga
Branden Parker, Chattanooga
Tyler Junius, Western Carolina
A.J. Newman, Western Carolina
Daniel Riddle, Western Carolina
Jared Jacon-Duffy, Wofford
Malik Rivera, Wofford