East Texas A&M Football Ranks Among Nation’s Best in the Classroom

April 11, 2026 – Lion Football is proving that excellence extends far beyond the field at East Texas A&M University (ETAMU), ranking among the top academic performers in all of college athletics.

This week, 20 East Texas A&M football players were named to the National Football Foundation’s (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, marking the most selections from one school for 2026 in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), among 129 schools. ETAMU received the second-most selections among all Division I programs.

Established by the NFF, the Hampshire Honor Society is a prestigious football honor program that recognizes student-athletes from all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA and sprint football who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher throughout their collegiate careers while contributing on the field.

“We take a tremendous amount of pride in the work our student-athletes put in in the classroom, and having 20 players named to the Hampshire Honor Society speaks volumes about the culture we are building in our program,” said Head Football Coach Clint Dolezel. “To lead the FCS in honorees is a testament to our student-athletes’ commitment in the classroom, their discipline, and the standard they continue to set as ambassadors of East Texas A&M University.”

Nominated by their respective schools, a Hampshire Honor Society inductee must either be a senior player graduating this spring/summer who completed his final year of playing eligibility in 2025 or be a graduated player or grad transfer who has already earned a bachelor’s degree and competed in the 2025 season.

The 20 honorees represent a wide range of academic disciplines, including business administration, computer science, psychology, and kinesiology, reflecting the university’s commitment to preparing students for success beyond athletics.

2026 ETAMU Honorees

The 20 Hampshire Honor Society honorees from ETAMU are listed below.