In its 12th year, the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced an all-time high number of new members to the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which includes college football players from all divisions who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher during their undergraduate careers. The University of Redlands gained 12 student-athletes among the 1,253 individual recipients who hailed from a record 303 colleges and universities from around the country.
Of the eight conference schools that sponsor the sport, only Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer Colleges received this distinction, with each school earning 12. The Bulldogs boast eight offensive and four defensive players among this year's honor society.
Senior running back/wide receiver Alex Andrighetto (Portola Valley, CA) joins the esteemed group as a four-year competitor at Redlands. In his career, this Business Administration major has recorded 122 carries for 647 yards and six touchdowns while also snagging 35 passes for 525 yards and nine scores. In addition, he landed on the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) All-Academic Team and became a Redlands Scholar-Athlete.
Senior wide receiver Cole Blackburn (Sammamish, WA) provided solid numbers as one of the top targets through the air. This repeat All-SCIAC player accumulated 155 receptions for 1,721 yards in 35 games played over his four seasons. He entered the end zone on 11 occasions, including four touchdowns on the ground, and looks forward to completing his degree in Business Administration.
Senior Kyle Kabeary (Indio, CA) competed in football and baseball as a solid contributor in both sports throughout his time at Redlands. As a four-year wide receiver, he amassed 61 catches for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also provided 19 kick returns for 490 yards and one score to go along with 24 punt returns for 287 yards and another touchdown. This repeat Redlands Scholar-Athlete looks forward to finishing his degree in Mathematics later this month.
In 26 games played, senior wide receiver Bryce Broadwell (Henderson, NV) hauled in 11 catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns. As a Biology major, he also owns multiple Redlands Scholar-Athlete awards and SCIAC All-Academic Football team honors.
In addition, senior wide receivers Zack Verspoor (Mansfield, OH) and Xavier Villanueva (Peoria, AZ) gain the academic honor as committed members of the Bulldog football team. Verspoor, a Mathematics major, competed in 15 games while making four catches for 46 yards. He became a Redlands Scholar-Athlete throughout his career and landed on the SCIAC All-Academic Team. Villanueva added 10 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns while earning a spot on the SCIAC All-Academic Team and repeated as a Redlands Scholar-Athlete as a Biology major.
Senior quarterback Mitch Kidd (Salinas, CA) capped off his two-year career with the Maroon and Gray with solid numbers. As the Bulldogs' play-caller, he amassed 153 completions for 2,125 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 67 times for another 218 yards and five scores. This team captain thrived as a Business Administration major while earning a spot on the SCIAC All-Academic Team.
Senior lineman Danny Badgley (Fairwood, WA) completes the offensive eight that received this scholarly distinction. With contributions in seven games, he supported the Bulldogs' efficient scoring machine that produced nearly 500 yards of offense per game, including 5.6 yards per rush and 13.2 yards per completion. As a student, Badgley looks forward to finishing his Business Administration degree later this month.
Defensively, the senior quartet of lineman Michael Burnette Jr. (Oxnard, CA), defensive backs Jerrod James (Gilbert, AZ) and Dustin Nascimento (Aiea, HI), and linebacker Mitch Shepherd reeled in this academic distinction as well.
Burnette competed in 12 games, including eight in his final season, and provided 23 total tackles, as highlighted by 4.5 tackles for a loss of 22 yards. This Political Science major will graduate later this month.
A Computer Science major, James battled injuries throughout his four-year career and gained limited time in 10 games played.
Nascimento served as a captain in his final of two seasons at Redlands. This two-time All-SCIAC honoree racked up 120 total tackles, including 56 solo hits and eight tackles for a loss of 18 yards. He landed on the SCIAC All-Academic Team as a Business Management major.
Finally, Shepherd rounds out the defensive recipients as a highly decorated linebacker. He owns D3football.com All-West Region, All-SCIAC, SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Year, and USA College Football Preseason All-America Honorable Mention accolades. Statistically, he competed in 37 games en route to tallying 234 total tackles, including 126 of the solo variety. His relentless pursuit of the ball allowed him to register 23.5 tackles for a loss of 124 yards, while his versatility and vision led to four interceptions, eight pass break-ups, and five forced fumbles.
For a complete list of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, please visit the organization's website.