CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – An ACC-best and program-record, 19 Virginia football players earned National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society membership, as announced by the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame.
Virginia ranks 10th among FBS institutions with 77 all-time selections.
2025-26 Hampshire Society Membership
Will Bettridge
McKale Boley
Jahmeer Carter
Christian Charles
Sage Ennis
James Jackson
Noah Josey
Mitchell Melton
Drake Metcalf
Chandler Morris
Daniel Rickert
Bryce Robinson
Jordan Robinson
Cam Ross
Daniel Sparks
Harrison Waylee
Brady Wilson
Jack Witmer
Eli Wood
To earn membership a football student-athlete must maintain a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout his college career. Members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must be either a senior player who will graduate this spring/summer and just completed their final year of eligibility in 2023 or a graduate player who has been out of high school at least three years.
A total of 2,596 players from 365 schools, represents the largest group in the program’s 20-year history and underscores the sustained academic achievement taking place across all levels of college football.
Other qualifications for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society include: Being a starter or a significant contributor in the last year of eligibility at an NCAA FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III or an NAIA college or university; and meeting all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress toward degree requirements.
A Cavalier has now earned the honor 11 years in a row.
2026: Will Bettridge, McKale Boley, Jahmeer Carter, Christian Charles, Sage Ennis, James Jackson, Noah Josey, Mitchell Melton, Drake Metcalf, Chandler Morris, Daniel Rickert, Bryce Robinson, Jordan Robinson, Cam Ross, Daniel Sparks, Harrison Waylee, Brady Wilson, Jack Witmer, Eli Wood
2025: Chico Bennett Jr., Jahmeer Carter, Jimmy Christ, Ethan Davies, Michael Diatta, Noah Josey, Kendren Smith, Daniel Sparks, Brian Stevens, Corey Thomas, Jack Witmer, Sackett Wood Jr.
2024: Paul Akere, Jimmy Christ, Matt Ganyard, Jared Rayman, Brian Stevens, Malik Washington, Sackett Wood.
2023: Paul Akere, Jaylon Baker, Chico Bennett, Kam Butler, Antonio Clary, Derek Devine, Brendan Farrell, John Paul Flores, Coen King, Jared Rayman, Keytaon Thompson.
2022: Mandy Alonso, Adeeb Atariwa, Joey Blount, Danny Caracciolo, De’Vante Cross, Luke Finkelston, Hayden Mitchell, Jelani Woods
2021: Brian Delaney, Matt Gahm, Dillon Reinkensmeyer.
2020: Nash Griffin, Jordan Mack, Bryce Perkins, Joe Reed.
2019: Evan Butts, Lester Coleman, Joe Spaziani
2018: Kurt Benkert, Micah Kiser
2017: Nicholas Conte, Ryan Santoro, Conner Wingo-Reeves
2016: Ian Frye
“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.”
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.