The Utah State Aggies just keep showing up when it comes to academics. This year, 11 of their football players landed spots in the 2026 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.
That’s no small feat, considering the honor is reserved for college football players (across all divisions) who’ve managed to keep at least a 3.2 GPA over their entire college careers. Out of 2,596 players from 365 schools who made the cut in the society’s 20th year, Utah State’s group stands out.
Utah State’s Academic Excellence
Utah State University’s always had a bit of a reputation for pushing academics. The latest batch of 11 Aggies in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society just adds to that story.
This society doesn’t just look at what happens on the field. It spotlights student-athletes who keep their grades up and don’t let the classroom slide.
Meet the Honorees
Here’s who made the list for Utah State this time around:
- Trey Andersen – Bachelor’s in integrated studies, 3.55 GPA
- Noah Avinger – Bachelor’s in integrated studies, 3.25 GPA
- Bryson Barnes – Bachelor’s in business integrated studies, MBA, 3.86 GPA
- Brady Boyd – Texas Tech grad, bachelor’s in university studies, working on a second bachelor’s in recreation administration, 3.68 GPA
- Jacob Conover – Arizona State grad, social science degree, MBA, 3.47 GPA
- Jake Eichorn – Bachelor’s in integrated studies, 3.63 GPA
- Naki Fahina – UNLV grad, bachelor’s in urban studies, chasing a second bachelor’s in sociology, 3.25 GPA
- EJ Fisk – Working on a bachelor’s in integrated studies, 3.78 GPA
- Broc Lane – Bachelor’s in exercise science, working on an MBA, 3.69 GPA
- Jared Pele – Pursuing a bachelor’s in integrated studies, 3.20 GPA
- Josh Sterzer – Bachelor’s in international business, MBA, 3.50 GPA
Academic Achievements and Honors
These guys haven’t just been grinding in class. They’ve racked up a bunch of academic awards along the way:
- Trey Andersen – Academic All-Mountain West (2025)
- Noah Avinger – Academic All-Mountain West (2025)
- Bryson Barnes – Two-time Academic All-Mountain West (2024, 2025), MW Scholar-Athlete (2024), second-team All-MW, CSC Academic All-District
- Brady Boyd – CSC Academic All-District, honorable mention All-MW
- Jake Eichorn – Academic All-Mountain West, CSC Academic All-District (2025)
- Naki Fahina – Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, Academic All-MW (2024)
- EJ Fisk – Mountain West Scholar-Athlete (2024), Academic All-MW (2025)
- Broc Lane – Five-time Academic All-Mountain West (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), three-time MW Scholar-Athlete (2020, 2022, 2024), Campbell Trophy semifinalist (2024), honorable mention All-MW (2023), CSC Academic All-District (2025)
- Josh Sterzer – Academic All-Mountain West five times (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), MW Scholar-Athlete (2024)
Qualifying for the NFF Hampshire Honor Society
The NFF Hampshire Honor Society is all about giving more scholar-athletes their due. Since it started, it’s recognized 23,568 student-athletes.
To get in, student-athletes have to:
- Graduate this spring or summer
- Finish their last year of playing eligibility in 2024, or be a grad who’s been out of high school for at least three years
- Keep a 3.2 GPA, start to finish, as an undergrad
- Be a starter or a key contributor in the 2024 season
Utah State’s Commitment to Academic and Athletic Excellence
Utah State football keeps proving it cares about more than just wins. There’s a real effort to make sure student-athletes are ready for whatever comes after football—whether that’s a job, grad school, or something else entirely.
Seeing 11 Aggies get recognized by the NFF Hampshire Honor Society? It’s a pretty clear sign the university is serious about helping its players succeed on the field and in the classroom. Honestly, that’s refreshing to see in college sports.
Follow the Aggies
Want to keep tabs on the Utah State Aggies football team? Social media’s probably the easiest way to do it.
If you’re after more details or just want to dig deeper, check out the official Utah State Aggies website for the latest.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
