Nine Polar Bears named to National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society

By Wes Mayberry

| NFF Hampshire Honor Society release (.pdf) | NFF Hampshire Honor Society site |

ADA — Nine members of the Ohio Northern football team were named to the prestigious National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society for the 2021 season.

Fifth-year graduate student Logan Hughes (Meeker, Colo.), fifth-year seniors Body Hahn (Louisville), Jack Lehr (York, Pa./Dallastown), James McDougald (Bowie, Md./Bridge Tutorial), Zak Smith (Minneola, Fla./Lake Minneola) and Drew Staczek (Walbridge/Cardinal Stritch) and seniors Aaron Everhart (Ada), Elijah Harris (Cincinnati/Norwood) and Jake Tanski (Eastlake/North) all received the honor.

Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must have completed their final year of playing eligibility in fall 2021, attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, met all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress towards degree requirements and been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2021 season.

An elite group of 1,574 players from 315 schools throughout all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA and sprint football qualified for membership in what marks the NFF Hampshire Honor Society's 16th year. The initiative has now honored 14,655 student-athletes since its inception.

Ohio Northern was one of 52 schools that had at least nine honorees this year.

Hughes, a pre-law major, played in nine games at tight end for the Polar Bears in 2021 and did not accrue any statistics.

Hahn ended 2021 as a highly decorated player, earning D3football.com All-District 4, All-OAC First Team and Academic All-OAC accolades after being named the OAC Offensive Player of the Week on a pair of occasions during the season. In 10 games at quarterback, the business management major completed 56.9% of his passes for school records of 3,061 yards and 32 touchdowns, adding 410 yards and five scores on the ground.

In just 14 games spanning two seasons at Northern, the Muskingum transfer closed out his Polar Bear career with 4,270 passing yards, which ranks 10th in program history, and 42 touchdowns along with 656 yards and 12 scores on the ground. In his five-year collegiate career, he amassed 9,147 passing yards and 72 touchdowns.

Lehr did not see any game action in 2021. The quarterback and business major is a four-time Academic All-OAC selection.

McDougald, a business major, played in all 10 games at wide receiver in 2021, recording 23 catches for 344 yards and four touchdowns and earning an Academic All-OAC accolade. He ranked fourth on the team in receptions and receiving yards.

In 21 career games over four seasons, McDougald has 26 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns.

Smith, a biology major and four-time Academic All-OAC selection, appeared in two games on the defensive line and made two tackles in 2021.

Staczek did not see game action in 2021 but has played in 14 games, with 10 starts, in his ONU career. The pharmaceutical business major has recorded 57 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery from his defensive back position.

Everhart punted in all 10 games in 2021. The criminal justice major averaged 35.0 yards on 27 punts with a long of 50 yards and pinned four inside the opponent's 20-yard line. In 24 career games at ONU, Everhart has averaged 33.7 yards on 71 punts with a long of 52 yards while landing 17 inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Harris played in all 10 of ONU's games in 2021, recording four tackles and an interception from his defensive back position. The applied robotics major has eight total tackles, an interception and a pass breakup in 13 career games.

Tanski, a quarterback and criminal justice major, saw action in eight games in 2021 and tallied a pair of tackles on defense. He has also served as a punter, recording four punts for a 26.3-yard average in two games during the 2020 season.

The Polar Bears finished the 2021 season 4-6 overall and posted a 3-6 mark in the OAC under 18th-year head coach Dean Paul.

The team begins its 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against Alma (Mich.).