BALTIMORE, Md. (April 13, 2023) – Four Morgan State football players were named to the 2023 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions who maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better throughout their college careers.  The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced the members of the 2023 class today.

Marvin Atuatasi, Dexter Carr Jr., Lawrence Richardson and Jayden Wooden are the Morgan State honorees on this year's list. 

"We are thrilled to honor another impressive group of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 17 years, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."

An elite group of 1,734 players from 328 schools qualified for membership in 2023, setting a record for the number of members in a single year during the program's 17‐year history. 
 
Complete list here (PDF).

A senior Physical Education major, Atuatasi boasts a 3.58 GPA. The Leone, American Samoa product has been a mainstay on a Morgan offensive line which was one of the Bears biggest team strengths last season. He finished the 2022 season named to the 2022 All-MEAC Third Team and was selected to the Phil Steele FCS All-MEAC Third Team. 

Carr is pursuing a degree in Health Education / Pre-Professional Physical Therapy and holds a 3.68 GPA. On the field, the Stafford (Va.) product he helped pave the way for a Bears offense that averaged 22.7 points thru 11 games on the year, the most point production by the Bears since 2017 (30.5 ppg).  

Richardson is a Biology major who holds a 3.27 GPA. The Philadelphia (Pa.) native had a stellar 2022 campaign as one of the conference's premier linebackers.  Last season, he recorded 77 tackles, including three tackles for loss, a sack, and an interception, and was named to the Blue Bloods All-MEAC First Team and the Phil Steele FCS All-MEAC Second Team.

The Peoria (Ariz.) native has a 3.43 GPA and is majoring in Applied Liberal Studies. The transfer from Maricopa C.C., made an immediate impact for the Bears secondary unit last season. The senior safety started in every game (11) and recorded 45 tackles (32 solo) with three tackles for loss. Wooden had a forced fumble and an interception return for 12 yards in an upset win against MEAC defending champion South Carolina State (Oct. 29).

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program by greatly expanding the number of scholar-athletes the NFF can recognize each year. The program further strengthens the organization's leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes at the 774 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide. 

Notable players include Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young (Alabama), projected first-round NFL Draft picks Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) and Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech), NFF Campbell Trophy winner Jack Campbell (Iowa), MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Davius Richard (NC Central), YaYa Diaby (Louisville), Dillon Gabriel(Oklahoma), Will Levis (Kentucky), Bo Nix (Oregon), and Taulia Tagovailoa(Maryland).

The Hampshire Honor Society represents an important component in the organization's rich history as an innovator in promoting the scholar-athlete ideal, which began in 1959 with the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Click here to learn more.

Morgan State will open their 2023 campaign on the road against the Richmond Spiders on Sept. 2. The Bears will welcome the Stony Brook Seawolves for Homecoming on Oct. 21.
 
The NFF contributed to this release.


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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.