Eastern Michigan Athletics
Six Eagles Land on 2019 NFF Hampshire Honor Society
4/11/2019 5:36:00 PM | Football
Eastern's six selection were tied for the most of any team in the Mid-American Conference
IRVING, Texas (EMUEagles.com) - Six Eastern Michigan University football players have been named to the 2019 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame announced April 10. The 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.
Earning the honor for the Eagles were Blake Banham (St. Paul, Minn.-Cretin-Derham Hall), Jeremiah Harris (Labertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior), Jeremy Hickey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), Tyler LaBarbera (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-James B. Conant (DuPage)), Ville Vilasti (Helsinki, Finald-Itakeskuksen Iukio (Diablo Valley College)), and Tyler Wiegers (Lake Orion, Mich.-Detroit Country Day (Iowa)).
Eastern's six selection were tied for the most of any team in the Mid-American Conference. Overall, an all-time high 1661 players from a record 426 college and universities were honored in the society's 13th year.
"We are pleased to see another record number of athletes honored by the Hampshire Honor Society this year," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "For more than a decade, it has become 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."
From walk-on to team captain, Banham moved from running back to wide receiver for his senior season and it paid off with Third Team All-MAC accolades. Banham led the pass-heavy 2018 Eagles in receptions (60), receiving yards (758), and all-purpose yardage (83.7 ypg). The St. Paul, Minn. product has posted 100+ yards receiving three times this season, including a season-best 159 at Buffalo, Sept. 15, and ranks 10th in the league in receiving yards per game (58.3). A Google Cloud Academic All-District® honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Banham also ranked second in the MAC and 22nd nationally with 10.0 yards per punt return.
A two-time captain and leader of Eastern's defensive efforts, Harris started 12 of the team's 13 games this season. He racked up 64 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks en route to Third Team All-MAC honors. His five sacks are tied for 11th-most in the MAC. The Lambertville, Mich. native has also blocked a kick, intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble this season. Harris recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks in EMU's regular season finale at Kent State, Nov. 23, tying the program record for single-game sacks. Overall, Harris tied the EMU career record with seven forced fumbles and ranks fifth with 16.0 career sacks.
Hickey started all 13 games in 2018 for the Green and White, earning a 3.20 GPA as a social studies and history major. Named a candidate for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Wuerffel Trophy, the Bloomfield Hills, Mich. native was a huge part of EMU's offense that had the 32nd-best completion percentage in the nation.
Collecting the award for the first time, LaBarbera has a 3.36 GPA in exercise science. A staple of the EMU defensive line, he started nine of the 12 games he played in, while recording 42 tackles and a part of a TFL on the season. Against Army West Point's triple-option attack, LaBarbera filled the middle of the line for a career-high 11 tackles. He also added seven stops in an overtime contest against eventual MAC Champion Northern Illinois, Sept. 29.
Valasti played in 11 games, recording seven tackles and was in on a tackle-for-loss. In his final year in the Green and White, the psychology major made his presence felt on a defensive line that topped the conference in pass defense efficiency.
Wiegers played in 12 games for the Green and White, leading an EMU offense that had the 32nd-best completion percentage in the nation. The Lake Orion, Mich. native threw for a team-best 1887 yards, tossing 11 touchdowns, and completing 171-of-265 pass attempts. His 64.8 completion percentage was the 24th-best mark in the country. A two-time MAC Player of the Week honoree, Wiegers threw for 312 passing yards, including a 75-yard TD, in EMU's second-ever win over a "Power-5" program at Purdue, Sept. 8.
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 778 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.
The initiative has now honored 10,660 student-athletes since its inception, and the program has experienced growth every year in either members or school participation since its launch in 2007.
Representing the MAC are 35 student-athletes from nine of the 12 MAC football programs.
Akron: Jamal Baggett, Nathan Bischof, Kyle Foster, Brian Reinke, Kyle Ritz, Mykel Traylor-Bennett
Ball State: Alex Joss, Fred Schroeder, Marc Walton
Buffalo: Tyree Jackson
Central Michigan: Luke Idoni, Devon Spalding, Mitch Stanitzek, Clay Walderzak
Eastern Michigan: Blake Banham, Jeremiah Harris, Jeremy Hickey, Tyler LaBarbera, Ville Valasti, Tyler Wiegers
Kent State: Theo Eboigbe, Mike Marinelli, Chase Van Hoef
Northern Illinois: Andrew Gantz, Ty Harmston, Jaden Huff, Hayden Sak, Max Scharping, Luke Shively
Toledo: Tyler Taafe, Cody Thompson
Western Michigan: Curtis Doyle, John Keenoy, Odell Miller, Zach Novoselsky
About the Hampshire Foundation:
The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, N.J. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.
About the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include Football Matters®, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments – a proud partner of the Campbell Trophy®, Goodyear, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Sports Business.
Earning the honor for the Eagles were Blake Banham (St. Paul, Minn.-Cretin-Derham Hall), Jeremiah Harris (Labertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior), Jeremy Hickey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), Tyler LaBarbera (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-James B. Conant (DuPage)), Ville Vilasti (Helsinki, Finald-Itakeskuksen Iukio (Diablo Valley College)), and Tyler Wiegers (Lake Orion, Mich.-Detroit Country Day (Iowa)).
Eastern's six selection were tied for the most of any team in the Mid-American Conference. Overall, an all-time high 1661 players from a record 426 college and universities were honored in the society's 13th year.
"We are pleased to see another record number of athletes honored by the Hampshire Honor Society this year," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "For more than a decade, it has become 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."
From walk-on to team captain, Banham moved from running back to wide receiver for his senior season and it paid off with Third Team All-MAC accolades. Banham led the pass-heavy 2018 Eagles in receptions (60), receiving yards (758), and all-purpose yardage (83.7 ypg). The St. Paul, Minn. product has posted 100+ yards receiving three times this season, including a season-best 159 at Buffalo, Sept. 15, and ranks 10th in the league in receiving yards per game (58.3). A Google Cloud Academic All-District® honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Banham also ranked second in the MAC and 22nd nationally with 10.0 yards per punt return.
A two-time captain and leader of Eastern's defensive efforts, Harris started 12 of the team's 13 games this season. He racked up 64 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks en route to Third Team All-MAC honors. His five sacks are tied for 11th-most in the MAC. The Lambertville, Mich. native has also blocked a kick, intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble this season. Harris recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks in EMU's regular season finale at Kent State, Nov. 23, tying the program record for single-game sacks. Overall, Harris tied the EMU career record with seven forced fumbles and ranks fifth with 16.0 career sacks.
Hickey started all 13 games in 2018 for the Green and White, earning a 3.20 GPA as a social studies and history major. Named a candidate for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Wuerffel Trophy, the Bloomfield Hills, Mich. native was a huge part of EMU's offense that had the 32nd-best completion percentage in the nation.
Collecting the award for the first time, LaBarbera has a 3.36 GPA in exercise science. A staple of the EMU defensive line, he started nine of the 12 games he played in, while recording 42 tackles and a part of a TFL on the season. Against Army West Point's triple-option attack, LaBarbera filled the middle of the line for a career-high 11 tackles. He also added seven stops in an overtime contest against eventual MAC Champion Northern Illinois, Sept. 29.
Valasti played in 11 games, recording seven tackles and was in on a tackle-for-loss. In his final year in the Green and White, the psychology major made his presence felt on a defensive line that topped the conference in pass defense efficiency.
Wiegers played in 12 games for the Green and White, leading an EMU offense that had the 32nd-best completion percentage in the nation. The Lake Orion, Mich. native threw for a team-best 1887 yards, tossing 11 touchdowns, and completing 171-of-265 pass attempts. His 64.8 completion percentage was the 24th-best mark in the country. A two-time MAC Player of the Week honoree, Wiegers threw for 312 passing yards, including a 75-yard TD, in EMU's second-ever win over a "Power-5" program at Purdue, Sept. 8.
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 778 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.
The initiative has now honored 10,660 student-athletes since its inception, and the program has experienced growth every year in either members or school participation since its launch in 2007.
Representing the MAC are 35 student-athletes from nine of the 12 MAC football programs.
Akron: Jamal Baggett, Nathan Bischof, Kyle Foster, Brian Reinke, Kyle Ritz, Mykel Traylor-Bennett
Ball State: Alex Joss, Fred Schroeder, Marc Walton
Buffalo: Tyree Jackson
Central Michigan: Luke Idoni, Devon Spalding, Mitch Stanitzek, Clay Walderzak
Eastern Michigan: Blake Banham, Jeremiah Harris, Jeremy Hickey, Tyler LaBarbera, Ville Valasti, Tyler Wiegers
Kent State: Theo Eboigbe, Mike Marinelli, Chase Van Hoef
Northern Illinois: Andrew Gantz, Ty Harmston, Jaden Huff, Hayden Sak, Max Scharping, Luke Shively
Toledo: Tyler Taafe, Cody Thompson
Western Michigan: Curtis Doyle, John Keenoy, Odell Miller, Zach Novoselsky
About the Hampshire Foundation:
The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, N.J. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.
About the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include Football Matters®, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments – a proud partner of the Campbell Trophy®, Goodyear, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Sports Business.
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