The National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society named a 10 Hawkeyes to its 2026 list - a new Iowa program record.
Iowa football players not only continue to perform well on the field, but also in the classroom.
Being a student-athlete is not easy, but when they showcase their talents in the classroom, someone is out there waiting with a reward - that someone is the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.
Founded in 2007, the organization recognizes college football players at all levels who were a starter or key contributor for their football team during the 2025 season, have been enrolled in college for at least three years, and recorded a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or better throughout their college career.
The Hawkeyes have been a frequent team to crack the list. Kirk Ferentz's program is one of just seven Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) squads to see one player earn the honor in the NFF's entire history. 56 Iowa players have earned the recognition in the NFF's 20-year tenure, but it's safe to say 2026 marked a new milestone for the Hawkeyes.
10 Iowa players, a new program record, were named to the NFF's 2026 list on Wednesday afternoon. Here is the list:
OL Gennings Dunker (3.59 GPA, human physiology)
DT Aaron Graves (3.63 GPA, exercise science)
DT Jonah Pace (3.25 GPA, communications)
DT Jeremiah Pittman (3.56 GPA, finance)
QB Mark Gronowski (3.73 GPA, mechanical engineering)
DE Ethan Hurkett (3.44 GPA, management)
S Xavier Nwankpa (3.22 GPA, sport & recreation management)
LB Jaxon Rexroth (3.54 GPA, human physiology)
LB Kelby Telander (3.60 GPA, exercise science)
LS Bryant Worrell (4.00 GPA, exercise science)
HawkeyeRoundtable's Thoughts
Iowa isn't the only program to boast strong student-athletes (see why I italicized students there), but if there's one thing that Ferentz set out to do when taking over the Hawkeye football program in 1999, it wasn't just molding good football players, it was to build men of character.
2026 will be my third season on the Iowa football beat, and I've never had a negative interaction with a player. I know this recognition isn't necessarily about that, but having so many players have success in the classroom is a perfect example of this.
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