ZACH HALL AND JONATHAN WEBSTER HAVE BEEN NAMED TO THE
2008 NFF HAMPSHIRE HONOR SOCIETY

        DALLAS, Texas – Arkansas Tech Wonder Boy seniors Jonathan Webster and Zach Hall were recently named to the 2008 NFF Hampshire Honor Society by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF).

The Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions who have maintained a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study and have met all NCAA-mandated progress toward degree requirements and were a starter or a significant substitute in their last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III or an NAIA college or university.

A total of 441 players from 227 schools qualified for membership in the society’s second year, which is an increase of more than 25 percent from the inaugural class in 2007.

          According to a release from the NFF, the 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 and further strengthening its leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes who play football at the more than 700 colleges and universities with football programs.

          “Thanks to the generosity of the Hampshire Foundation, the National Football Foundation is extending its reach as a pioneer in the promotion of the scholar-athlete ideal with the NFF Hampshire Honor Society,” said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “We strongly believe that football is unique in its ability to foster academic achievement in our young people, and this year’s class contains countless examples of our nation’s brightest young leaders.”

          Webster, a defensive back from Batesville, Miss., and Hall, a linebacker from Irving, Texas, were two of just six Hampshire Honor Society members from Gulf South Conference schools. The other GSC players selected were Delta State teammates, Dustin Barrick and Michael Eubanks and Harding University teammates, Jordan Huckeba and Jonathan Paulson.

          “What a prestigious honor, not only for Zach and Jonathan, but also for our football program and our university,” Wonder Boys Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Steve Mullins said. “These two young men are fine examples of the kind of student-athlete we want here at Arkansas Tech University.”

Webster, who carries 3.26 cumulative grade point average in sociology, played in all 10 games and made eight starts this past season for the Wonder Boys and was second on the team with 79 tackles, including recording a team-best 39 solo stops and had 1.5 tackles for loss, broke up two passes and had one interception. In addition, he forced a fumble and also had a fumble recovery. Webster, who finished his Tech career playing in 20 games and making 12 starts, recorded 126 career tackles, including 62 solo stops and had three tackles for loss, seven pass break-ups and picked off two passes.

Hall, who carries a 3.24 cumulative grade point average in speech communications, played in nine games this season with the Wonder Boys and recorded nine tackles, a tackle for a loss, a quarterback sack and recovered a fumble. In his three year career with the Wonder Boys, Hall saw action in 12 games and made six starts and recorded 52 tackles, including 24 solo stops, had 6.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and two sacks.   

This past season, Webster and Hall helped lead Tech to a 5-5 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the GSC.

          “Since Red Blaik provided the first funds for the First National Scholar-Athlete Awards in 1959, the NFF has stood in the vanguard of promoting the scholar-athlete ideal,” Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of the Hampshire Companies, who also served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, said in a release from the NFF announcing The 2008 NFF Hampshire Honor Society members. “It has been a great privilege to build on his legacy and endow The Hampshire Honor Society. Nationwide there are thousands of football players excelling in the classroom, and they’re going on to be great leaders. The NFF Hampshire Honor Society allows us to shine a light on their hard work.”

For more information on the NFF Hampshire Honor Society or the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, visit their website at www.footballfoundation.org.

 -- Tech Athletics --