JONESBORO, Ark. (4/14/21) – Former Arkansas State defensive linemen
Tukua Ahoia and
Forrest Merrill and deep snapper
Seth Cottengim were named Wednesday to the 2021 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.
The Hampshire Honor 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 careers. A total of 910 players from 255 schools qualified for membership in the Society's 15th year.
A-State has now had 29 players receive the honor, including at least three each of the last two years and five times overall. The Red Wolves had a school-record five student-athletes earn the recognition in 2015.
Ahoia was a three-year letterman with the Red Wolves who saw action in 26 career games, including four as a starter. He recorded 15 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery during his time at A-State. The San Mateo, Calif., native earned his bachelor's degree in sport management in May of 2020.
Cottengim was a four-year letterman at A-State from 2017-20, handling all deep snapper duties on special teams during that time. He was a three-time Phil Steele's All-Sun Belt Conference selection and a member of the 2020 Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List. The Fairport, NY, native earned his bachelor's degree in physics in May of 2020.
Merrill was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference pick during his three seasons with the Red Wolves, including 2018 and 2020. The 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist piled up 121 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks during his career with the Red Wolves. The Willard, Mo., native earned his bachelor's degree in communication studies in December of 2019.
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 765 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide. The initiative has now honored 13,077 student-athletes since its inception.
