IRVING, Texas – IUP football standouts
Drew DiNunzio-Biss and
Quinn Zinobile were named to the 2024 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, announced earlier this week by the organization.
The duo contribute to an elite group of 1,991 players from 340 schools qualified for membership in 2024, setting a new record for the number the number of members during the program's 18-year history. This initiative has now honored 18,389 student-athletes since its inception.
"We are thrilled to honor a record number of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 18 years, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as 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."
Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must be either:
- A senior player, who will graduate this spring/summer, and just completed his final year of playing eligibility in 2023; or
- A graduated player, who has been out of high school at least (3) years;
And must have:
- Attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale); and
- Been starters or contributors throughout the 2023 season.
DiNunzio-Biss has racked up the awards for his play on the field and work in the classroom this past season for the Crimson Hawks. One of just three linebackers in the country to earn College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America® first team honors, DiNunzio-Biss was named a Don Hansen All-America honorable mention selection, D2CCA All-Super Region One honoree and a two-time All-PSAC West first team choice (2022, 20203).
DiNunzio-Biss finished 2023 with 94 tackles, 16 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and two PBUs. For his career, the standout posted 214 total stops and three double-figure tackle games in 2023.
Zinobile made an immediate impact with the Crimson Hawks as a graduate student, transferring in for his lone season in 2023. He finished as the team's leading receiver with 44 receptions, 644 yards and eight touchdowns.
Zinobile finished second in the PSAC in receiving touchdowns and eighth in receiving yards/game (58.5). He reeled in two touchdowns each against Ashland on August 31 and Shippensburg on September 16.
Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of The Hampshire Companies, provided the funds to launch the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in 2007. He made the contribution as part of his legacy to the organization after serving as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006. He currently serves the organization as chairman emeritus. Each player awarded membership in this year's Honor Society will receive a certificate commemorating his or her achievement.
"It was my great privilege to endow the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which has greatly increased the number of college student-athletes the NFF has been able to recognize during the past 18 years," said Hanson. "Nationwide there are thousands of football players excelling in the classroom, and they are going on to become great leaders."
"We have honored more than 18,000 student-athletes since 2007 thanks to Jon Hanson's generosity," said NFF Chairman
Archie Manning. "We are grateful for his passionate belief in the scholar-athlete ideal, and the Hampshire Honor Society allows us to showcase the names of tomorrow's leaders while inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps."
The Hampshire Honor Society represents an important component in the organization's rich history as an innovator in promoting the scholar-athlete ideal, which began in 1959 with the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards.
ABOUT THE HAMPSHIRE FOUNDATION
The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully-integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.
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