Two Cowboys Earn Distinguished Honor

University of Wyoming senior football players Luke Ruff and Oliver Schober were selected for the 2013 class of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s Hampshire Honor Society.

Ruff and Schober were among a total of 703 players from 259 schools to qualify for membership in the society's seventh year, marking the highest school participation in the history of the program, which began in 2007.

“Luke (Ruff) and Oliver (Schober) have worked extremely hard to achieve their athletic and academic goals. It is great to see them recognized for their achievements,” Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen said. “They have been outstanding representatives of our football program, and we couldn't be more proud of them for receiving this great honor from the National Football Foundation.”

Ruff, a safety, achieved a 3.60 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in civil engineering. Over the past four years, he has been named to both the Academic All-Mountain West Conference and the Mountain West Scholar-Athlete teams. The past three years, Ruff was also selected to the Capital One CoSIDA First Team All-District VII team.

In addition, Ruff was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, also referred to as the "Academic Heisman." He also was one of just 24 NCAA Division I football student-athletes in the nation to receive First Team Capital One Academic All-America honors.

Schober, a linebacker, is a two-time Academic All-Mountain West selection, has achieved a 3.40 cumulative grade-point average in business management.

This year marks the seventh consecutive year that UW has had at least one individual selected to the NFF Hampshire Honor Society.

Criteria for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society includes being a starter or a significant substitute in one's last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university; achieving a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study; and meeting all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements and graduation.

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society was created in 2007 to honor college football student-athletes in all divisions. Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of the Hampshire Companies, established an endowment to fund the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in ‘07.  He was a former NFF Chairman from 1994-2006.