FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302Apr. 29, 2015 - The North Central College football program has placed eight individuals in the 2015 induction class for the National Football Foundation's (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society. The foundation released this year's honorees Wednesday.
The Hampshire Honor Society, part of the NFF's effort to recognize academic and athletic success, is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who have maintained a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or better during their collegiate football careers. A record total of 817 players from a record-high 278 schools qualified for membership in the society's ninth year.
Of this year's honorees, 312 came from 77 different NCAA Division III institutions. North Central's eight selections include offensive linemen
Marc DesLauriers and
John Hosey, defensive back
Trey Hartema, wide receivers
Matt Houston and
Peter Sorenson and defensive linemen
Peter Mann,
Jay Thrun and
Brian Wilson. The Cardinals rank eighth among Division III institutions and 12th in all of college football for the most representatives from a single team.
Sorenson was voted the 2014 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year and received Second Team All-North Region honors this season, leading North Central with 44 receptions for 807 yards and 13 touchdowns. A three-time All-CCIW selection, Sorenson set a new career record for the Cardinals' program with 34 touchdown catches.
DesLauriers started 27 games at center for the Cardinals in the past three seasons, including all 10 during the 2014 campaign, while Hosey made 14 starts over the past three years, playing left guard and left tackle. Houston was a three-year letter winner, catching six passes for 50 yards over the past two seasons.
Hartema was a four-year letter winner and two-year starter at free safety, earning Second Team All-CCIW honors in 2013 and finishing his career with 78 tackles and seven interceptions. Mann totaled 116 tackles and 13 tackles for loss, earning First Team All-CCIW accolades this past season. Wilson totaled 75 tackles and nine tackles for loss the past two seasons as a starter, while Thrun, a regular on the defensive line in 2013 and 2014, recorded 25 tackles and two quarterback sacks.
A total of 21 players from CCIW institutions made this year's induction class. Elmhurst College has seven inductees and Augustana College has six.
The Cardinals concluded the 2014 campaign with an overall record of 8-2 and a 6-1 mark in CCIW play. The 2015 season is scheduled to begin Saturday, Sept. 12 at home against Trine University (Indiana).
