Jones, Nelson, Gregory Earn NFF Hampshire Honor Society Membership
April 05, 2017 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Three former East Carolina student-athletes - punter Worth Gregory, receiver Zay Jones and quarterback Philip Nelson - have earned membership into the 2017 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society according to a release from the NFF and College Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
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Gregory, Jones and Nelson were among 1,089 nationally to earn the honor, which has been awarded annually since 2007 for outstanding academic achievement.
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Gregory was a three-time Ray Guy Award Watch List selection who recorded a 43.0 punting average during his 37-game Pirate career, which ranks as the fourth-highest in school history. He established a new single-season standard as a junior by planting 32 punts inside the 20-yard line and was named East Carolina's special teams MVP during his final two years of action.
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An Honor Roll and Dean's List performer in the classroom with a cumulative grade point average of 3.218, Gregory graduated from ECU in May, 2016 with a degree in business administration.
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Jones is the owner of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), American Athletic Conference and East Carolina single-season (158) and career (399) reception records, while being one of only 19 FBS receivers all-time with over 4,000 receiving yards (4,279).
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The 2016 Biletnikoff Award, William V. Campbell Trophy and Senior CLASS Award Finalist also earned CoSIDA Academic All-America (second-team) honors as a communications major before graduating last December with a 3.547 GPA.
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Nelson transferred into the ECU program in 2015, and as the Pirates' starting quarterback last fall, directed the second-highest single-season passing average (334.7 ypg) in school history. He completed 237-of-349 throws for 2,621 yards and 16 TDs as a senior, ranking seventh and 10th nationally in completion percentage and completions per game, respectively.
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Nelson, a communications major, earned Dean's List or Honor Roll selection every semester of enrollment at ECU and finished his eligibility with a 3.730 GPA.
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The NFF Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college career.
Â
Gregory, Jones and Nelson were among 1,089 nationally to earn the honor, which has been awarded annually since 2007 for outstanding academic achievement.
Â
Gregory was a three-time Ray Guy Award Watch List selection who recorded a 43.0 punting average during his 37-game Pirate career, which ranks as the fourth-highest in school history. He established a new single-season standard as a junior by planting 32 punts inside the 20-yard line and was named East Carolina's special teams MVP during his final two years of action.
Â
An Honor Roll and Dean's List performer in the classroom with a cumulative grade point average of 3.218, Gregory graduated from ECU in May, 2016 with a degree in business administration.
Â
Jones is the owner of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), American Athletic Conference and East Carolina single-season (158) and career (399) reception records, while being one of only 19 FBS receivers all-time with over 4,000 receiving yards (4,279).
Â
The 2016 Biletnikoff Award, William V. Campbell Trophy and Senior CLASS Award Finalist also earned CoSIDA Academic All-America (second-team) honors as a communications major before graduating last December with a 3.547 GPA.
Â
Nelson transferred into the ECU program in 2015, and as the Pirates' starting quarterback last fall, directed the second-highest single-season passing average (334.7 ypg) in school history. He completed 237-of-349 throws for 2,621 yards and 16 TDs as a senior, ranking seventh and 10th nationally in completion percentage and completions per game, respectively.
Â
Nelson, a communications major, earned Dean's List or Honor Roll selection every semester of enrollment at ECU and finished his eligibility with a 3.730 GPA.
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The NFF Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college career.
Players Mentioned
Punter
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