Six members of the Hobart College football team earned a spot in the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society, which recognizes college football players across all divisions for academic excellence.
 
Seniors Sean Bright, Bradley Burns, Sean Cunningham, James Hedger, Jack Pfohl, and Nick Testani were among the record 1,089 student-athletes bestowed membership from the Class of 2017.
 
The Hampshire Honor Society recognizes college football players from all divisions who have completed their eligibility and maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better.
 
This the 11th year of the Hampshire Honor Society and the third time Hobart has had six honorees. The Class of 2010 and the Class of 2015 also boasted a half dozen members. Since 2007, 37 Statesmen have earned a spot in the Hampshire Honor Society.
 
Bright, a fullback, played in all 11 games this season, finishing with six carries for 8 yards and two touchdowns and two receptions for 17 yards. An economics and philosophy major, he is a three-time Liberty League All-Academic selection and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Used chiefly as a blocking back, Bright played in 35 career games, rushing for 119 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 24 yards.
 
A tailback, Burns rushed for 358 yards and four touchdowns this season, earning All-Liberty League honorable mention. He gained a season-high 79 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown in the win over Endicott. Burns is an economics major. He appeared in 44 career games, rushing for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns. Burns also caught 24 passes for 228 yards.
 
A wide receiver, Cunningham finished third on the team in receptions (41), receiving yards (501), and receiving touchdowns (4). He caught a career-high nine passes for a career-high 149 yards at Rensselaer. The mathematics major was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and a three-time Liberty League All-Academic honoree. Cunningham played in 41 career games, finishing with 70 receptions for 755 yards and six touchdowns.
 
Hedger, a defensive end and a team captain, started every game in 2016, logging 62 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and a team-high 8.0 sacks. He produced a season-high 10 tackles in the win at Brockport. The architectural studies major appeared in 43 career games, amassing 128 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. Hedger was named to the 2016 D3football.com All-East third team and All-Liberty League first team.
 
A wide receiver, Pfohl started all 11 games this season, finishing second on the team in receptions (58), receiving yards (705), and touchdowns (9). He made a Hobart game record tying 12 catches for a career-high 197 yards and two touchdowns at WPI. Pfohl's final TD catch of the day came with just three seconds remaining in the game and lifted Hobart to a 35-31 win over the Engineers. The economics major played in 34 career games, recording 127 receptions for 1,438 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Only five Statesmen in school history have more career receptions.
 
Testani started at center and served as a team captain this season. He provided protection for the Liberty League's top passing offense (314.6 yds/g). Hobart was third in the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed (3.73/g). Testani was named to the 2016 D3football.com All-East second team. He was a three-time All-Liberty League pick, including back-to-back first team selections. The international relations major was a two-time Liberty League All-Academic honoree.
 
Hobart was 9-2 overall this season, winning the Liberty League Championship with a 6-1 record. The Statesmen lost in the first round of the NCAA playoffs to seventh-ranked Mount Union 38-21. During their four seasons on campus, the Class of 2017 was 38-7 (.844) overall, winning three Liberty League Championships and advancing as far as the 2014 NCAA quarterfinals.