Kansas State saw four of its former football players – linebacker Will Davis, quarterback Joe Hubener, place kicker Ian Patterson and defensive tackle Matt Seiwert – named members of the 2017 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF announced Wednesday.
The four Wildcats named to the list were the most in the Big 12, which placed 10 total players, and were among 1,089 players from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA to earn the honor.
The Hampshire Honor So
ciety, which began in 2007, recognizes college football players from all divisions who maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college career. It is the third year in a row K-State has had at least four players named to the society after a school-record five in 2015.
“We are pleased to see a record number of colleges and universities embrace the Hampshire Honor Society this year,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Over the past 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.”
All four players picked up 2017 Academic All-Big 12 accolades, including first-team honors by Davis, Patterson and Seiwert. The quartet helped K-State advance to four bowl games over the last four years and earn a combined 32-20 record – including a pair of bowl victories – since 2013.
A product of Southlake, Texas, Davis was a four-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 performer and a semifinalist for the 2016 Campbell Trophy. He played in 51 career games, including 17 starts, while he was also a key member of multiple special teams units. He graduated from K-State in 2016 in finance and accounting, while he is currently working toward his Master’s degree in accountancy.
Hubener, a product of Cheney, Kansas, was a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree, which included first-team honors in 2015. He played in 27 career games with 11 starts under center in 2015 as he helped lead the Wildcats to victories in their final three games to keep their bowl streak alive. He graduated from K-State in 2016 with a degree in secondary education and is working toward his Master’s in educational leadership.
Patterson, a former walk-on from Columbia, Missouri, earned three-straight First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors while serving as a part-time place kicker and kickoff man. He played in 44 career games, including all 13 games as both a sophomore and junior. Patterson obtained his undergraduate degree in 2015 in food science and industry with hopes of being accepted into vet school.
A native of Conway Spring, Kansas, Seiwert was a two-time First Team All-Big 12 honoree at defensive tackle after transitioning from linebacker in high school. He played in 28 career games, including all 26 over the final two years of his career. A 2016 graduate in agribusiness, Seiwert is current working toward his MBA.
In the midst of spring practices, Kansas State will hold its annual Purple/White Spring Game on Saturday, April 22, at 1:10 p.m., inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Tickets for the game are on sale for $5 through the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum. The game will be shown world-wide on K-StateHD.TV and can be heard across the K-State Sports Network.
K-State opens the 2017 campaign on Saturday, September 2, with the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion against Central Arkansas. Following a contest against Charlotte on September 9, the Wildcats travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to take on SEC foe Vanderbilt on September 16. K-State opens Big 12 play at home on September 30, with a matchup against Baylor.
The priority deadline for season-ticket purchases is Friday, April 21. A limited number of single-game tickets go on sale online only on June 20. All seven home games in 2017 are anticipated to sell out quickly and extend the Bill Snyder Family Stadium sellout streak to 40 games.