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Nine Kansas State Players Named To The 2023 National Football Foundation Honor Society

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Football

A school-record tying nine Kansas State football seniors during the 2022 season were named members of the 2023 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF announced Wednesday.

The nine Wildcats to earn the honor were Nick Allen, Drake Cheatum, Thomas Helten, Robert Hentz II, Eli Huggins, Adrian Martinez, Cincere Mason, Kade Warner and Sammy Wheeler, as they were members of an elite group of 1,734 players from 328 schools across all NCAA divisions and the NAIA who qualified for membership in the Society's 17th year. The nine honorees in 2023 tied for the most in school history with those inducted into the society in 2020.

"We are thrilled to honor another impressive group of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 17 years, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."

The Hampshire Honor Society recognizes college football players who maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college career. They must have met all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress toward degree requirements and been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2022 season.

Six of the nine Wildcats named to the Hampshire Honor Society earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors this past season, while Martinez was named a finalist for the NFF's William V. Campbell Trophy college football's premier scholar-athlete award that annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Allen, Huggins and Wheeler were each four-time Academic All-Big 12 performers. K-State has led the Big 12 in Academic All-Big 12 honors since 2014 with a total of 270, which is 32 more than the next closest team.