IRVING, Texas --- A school-record nine Tusculum University student-athletes have been named to the 2024-25 National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society.
Garnering recognition are: Jalen Hurt, Matthew Palazzo, Brayden Phillips, Jackson Roper, Antonio Sanchez, Cam Sanders, Ethan Stinnett, Tiger Vinson and Daniel Wan.
To qualify for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, a student-athlete must: be a starter or significant reserve in one's last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III or an NAIA college or university; achieve a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout the entire course of undergraduate study; and meet all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements.
Hurt, a tight end from Memphis, Tennessee, has a 3.82 GPA while majoring in biology (pre-medicine). He is a member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Dean's List, Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List. Last year, he was the recipient of the Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2ADA) Academic Achievement Award. In 2024, he played in 10 games where he made two receptions for 19 yards and was named to the Academic All-District Team as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). He is also a member of the Beta Biology Honor Society and the Tusculum Science Club.
Palazzo, a 6-4, 215-pound quarterback from Greeneville, has a 3.83 GPA as a sport management major. He is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Dean's List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll. He was Tusculum's starting quarterback the last two seasons where he led TU to a 2023 SAC Mountain Division Championship. In his 22 career games, he passed for 2,852 yards with 24 touchdowns. He also ran for eight career TDs and was twice named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week and Tennessee Sportswriters Association's Offensive Player of the Week. He is a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and has received the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award on three occasions. He has also been tabbed as a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team twice.
Phillips, a 6-3, 200-pound quarterback from Tallahassee, Florida, has a 3.26 GPA while majoring in sport management. He is a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and appeared in 13 games during his career where he went 36-of-72 for 373 yards and three touchdowns.
Roper, a 5-9, 190-pound running back from Boone, North Carolina, has a 3.88 GPA and is a double majoring in sports science and business administration. He is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Dean's List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll. He played in four games last season as he rushed for 15 yards on seven carries. Last year, he earned the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.
Sanchez, a 5-10, 200-pound kicker from Sevierville, Tennessee, has a 3.53 GPA while majoring in accounting. He is a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Dean's List.
Sanders, a 5-9, 180-pound defensive back from Chattanooga, Tennessee, has accumulated a 3.43 GPA while majoring in sport management. He is a member of the Dean's List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List, SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll. In his 13 career games, he has made eight tackles including three solo stops with a pass break-up.
Stinnett, a 6-1, 175-pound receiver from Sevierville, Tennessee, has is majoring in exercise science with a 3.84 GPA. He is a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Dean's List and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List. He is a 2024 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient and was selected to the CSC Academic All-District Team. He played in 10 games where he made 10 receptions for 92 yards while also rushing five times for eight yards including a touchdown. During his 24-game career, he made 28 catches for 279 yards and a touchdown.
Vinson, 5-10, 225-pound linebacker from Millington, Tennessee, has a 3.96 GPA while majoring in psychology. He is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Dean's List and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List. He was a 2023-24 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award selection and saw action in three games last fall where he recorded a tackle.
Wan, a 5-10, 225-pound long snapper from Shanghai, China, has a 3.26 GPA while majoring in general science. He is a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and made one appearance for Tusculum during the 2024 campaign after transferring from Albany State University.
Past Tusculum honorees named to the Hampshire Honor Society include: Nate Binder (2009), John Gregory (2009), Jarrell NeSmith (2009), Ryan Tallent (2009), Gareth Rowlands (2010), Kent Aigbe (2011), Brian Alexander (2013), Bo Cordell (2013) and Dameon Herring (2013), Max Gaubert (2015), Evan Altizer (2017), Hunter Cantrell (2017), Kelly Donnelly (2018), Benson Napier (2018), Christian Bell (2019), Will Boney (2019), Devin Woodson (2019), PJ Green (2019), Jackson Cauthen (2020), Dexler Benjamin (2023), Andrew Cantrell (2023), Josh Curray (2024), Andrae Robinson (2024), Adrian Robinson (2024) and Chris Stevenson (2024).
