Huntingdon’s Swift named to NFF Hampshire Honor Society

DALLAS – Huntingdon offensive lineman A.J. Swift was named to the 2012 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's Hampshire Honor Society on Wednesday.

A total of 721 players from 232 schools, including Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III from Baylor and Stanford's Andrew Luck, were selected. Joining Swift from the state of Alabama are Auburn University's Barrett Trotter and Troy University's Jamie Hampton.

The players chosen must have been a starter or significant substitute during their last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA or NAIA institution, maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers and met all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements and graduation. Swift, a four-year player for the Hawks and a member of the program's winningest class, majored in chemistry with a minor in math at Huntingdon. Swift will attend UNLV to pursue a PH.D. in Radio Chemistry.

Swift is the ninth Huntingdon offensive lineman to be chosen and is the 29th Huntingdon player selected since the Hampshire Honor Society began in 2007.

"A.J. is a model student-athlete. He takes pride in doing well academically and in being a guy we could count on up front on the offensive line," Huntingdon head football coach Mike Turk said. "Since the Hampshire Honor Society was started, we've had at least one player selected each year. We're proud to have had 29 of our student-athletes recognized with this honor during the past six years."

Huntingdon's previous Hampshire Honor Society selections are offensive linemen Philip Bailey (2009), Will Brannon (2008), C.J. Easterly (2008), Avery Ford (2007), Cliff Groce (2008), Gary Nelson (2009), Zach Sealy (2010) and Matt Thompson (2008), quarterbacks Zach Golson (2008) and Justin Ridgeway (2010), fullback Justin Nelson (2008), running back Alex Baronich (2010), receivers Mark Colson (2007), Drew Harrell (2011) and Steven Laye (2010), tight end Shane Corley (2010), defensive linemen Jacob "Tank" King (2011), Tal Lynn (2010), Steven Pennewitt (2011), Josh Robertson (2010), Jacob Seales (2007), Fred Shelby (2007) and Will Smith (2008), linebackers, Quinn Hambrite (2011), Caleb Hartin (2009) and Hodge Patterson (2007), cornerback Bryan Wells (2008) and punter Yancey Gordon (2007).

For the complete list of the 2012 Hampshire Honor Society, click here.