School-Record Six Spartans Named to NFF Hampshire Honor Society

EAST LANSING, Mich. – A school-record six Spartans – Chase Gianacakos, Collin Lucas, Grayson Miller, Matt Morrissey, Matt Sokol and Khari Willis – have been named to the 2019 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday.

Michigan State leads the Big Ten with six honorees and ranks tied for third overall among FBS schools.

The NFF Hampshire Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college career. An all-time high of 1,643 players from a record 424 schools qualified for membership in the Society's 13th year.

Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must have:

Completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2018; graduated players, who have remaining eligibility but will not return to collegiate play (e.g. declared for NFL Draft or retired from football), may also be nominated.
Achieved a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study;
Met all NCAA- or NAIA-mandated progress toward degree requirements; and
Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2018 season.

Gianacakos completed his master's degree in marketing research last December after previously earning his bachelor's degree in supply chain management. He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team for the third year in a row in 2018 and was a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Lucas graduated with his bachelor's degree in construction management in December 2018.

Miller, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, received his degree in general management last December.

Morrissey became one of just 29 Spartans in program history to earn Academic All-Big Ten honors four times in his career and graduated with a degree in finance.

Sokol joined Gianacakos in getting a master's degree in marketing research last December. Sokol, who earned his bachelor's degree in economics, was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team three times during his career.

Willis was MSU's nominee for the NFF Scholar-Athlete Class and was named a semifinalist last fall. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earned his degree in interdisciplinary studies in social science with an emphasis on community governance and advocacy.

Since the team's inception in 2007, 27 Spartans have been named to the NFF Hampshire Honor Society (Brian Bury, Brandon Fields and Drew Stanton in 2007; Blair White in 2010; Aaron Bates in 2011; Kirk Cousins, Joel Foreman and Keith Nichol in 2012; Ethan Ruhland in 2013; Max Bullough, Mark Scarpinato and Blake Treadwell in 2014; Travis Jackson and Mike Sadler in 2015; Jack Allen and Paul Lang in 2016; Matt Macksood, Benny McGowan, Tyler O'Connor and Josiah Price in 2017; Brian Allen in 2018; Gianacakos, Lucas, Miller, Morrissey, Sokol and Willis in 2019).