Hillsdale players line up for the national anthem before a game against Kentucky Wesleyan in fall 2026.


Ashley Van Hoose



Football
4/8/2026 12:28:00 PM







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2026 NFF Hampshire Honor Society Announcement

For the second time in the past five seasons, the Hillsdale College football team is the best in the nation in earning spots in the prestigious National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.

The NFF inducted 17 Chargers from the 2025 squad into the Hampshire Honor Society on Wednesday afternoon, the organization announced on Wednesday.  The Hampshire Honor Society 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.

This class, the 20th in the history of the Hampshire Honor Society, includes a record-setting 2,596 players from 365 schools, and brings the total number of student-athletes honored by the program to 23,568 since 2007.

“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,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “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.”

Hillsdale’s total of 17 was the most among all NCAA DII institutions and also the largest number of honorees for the Chargers in program history, surpassing the previous high total of 15 honorees in 2022, when Hillsdale also led all of NCAA DII in terms of recognized student-athletes.

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


Completed their final year of playing eligibility in Fall 2025;


Graduated players, who have remaining eligibility but will not return to collegiate play (e.g. declared for NFL Draft or retired from football), may also be nominated.


Attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale);
Met all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress towards degree requirements; and
Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2025 season

“To see this program reach 20 years with a record number of honorees is really special,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “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 NFF Hampshire Honor Society provides an important platform for us to recognize the value of the game in developing leaders while shining a light on their individual accomplishments.”
 

2026 Hillsdale College National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society Inductees




POS.



NAME



HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL





OL   
Billy Collins
Madison Heights, MI/Lamphere


OL    
Carter Cushman
Plainwell, MI/Plainwell


WR   
David Dorn
West Chicago, IL/Wheaton Academy


WR
Zac Harris
Maumee, OH/Maumee


LB
Carson Ingram
Shelby, OH/Shelby


LB
Aidan Kowatch
Caledonia, MI/Caledonia


TE    
Noah Larrick
New Concord, OH/John Glenn


LB
Jake Maloney
Lansing, MI/Lansing Catholic


K
Evan Mick
Sterling Heights, MI/Parkway Christian


WR
Connor Pratt
Van Wert, OH/Van Wert


LB
Connor Quake
Three Rivers, MI/Three Rivers


RB
Kyle Riffel
Mishawaka, IN/Penn


WR
Joe Schmidt
Muskego, WI/Brookfield Academy


QB
Reid Shumaker
Fenton, MI/Lake Fenton


DL
Hunter Sperling
Palos Heights, IL/Chicago Christian


OL
Ryan Strasser
Westland, MI/Livonia Franklin


DB
Jack Trachet
Pinckney, MI/Pinckney