The Toledo football program saw eight student-athletes named to the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society, as each was recognized by the foundation for their excellence on and off the playing field, the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday.
Safety Nate Bauer, wide receiver Adam Beale, defensive tackle Judge Culpepper, safety Zachary Ford, linebacker Dallas Gant, and offensive linemen Tyler Long, Nick Rosi and Tanner Wigand each received the honor. The eight selections marks the most in program history in one class.
Bauer, an Akron, Ohio native, made 64 tackles from the safety position, adding a team-high two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception in 2023. He played in 60 games in his Toledo career, making 245 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, defending 16 passes with six interceptions.
Beale played in 10 games in 2024 at wide receiver, also contributing on the kick return and punt return teams. He returned 41 punts for 281 yards in his career while also making six catches for 76 yards in 37 games as a Rocket.
Culpeper was named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American and Academic All-MAC in 2023. On the defensive line, he led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks, the latter good for fourth in the MAC. He had 125 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for his career.
Ford was a team captain in 2023 and finished sixth on the roster with 61 tackles. He also defended four passes this past season. The Cleveland, Ohio native finished with 210 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 18 passes defended, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions in 58 career games.
A Toledo native, Gant was First-Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC in his senior season. He led the team and was seventh in the MAC with 117 tackles, including 9.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack this past season. He has made 233 tackles with 14.5 TFLs, eight passes defended and three forced fumbles over the past two years.
Long, another Toledo product, started all 14 games on the offensive line, and was part of a unit that ranked fourth in the nation in sacks allowed (0.79/game).
Rosi was First-Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC in 2023 and was named to the Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List for the top offensive lineman in the country. His brother Drew was named to the Hampshire Honor Society as a Rocket in 2022.
Wigand played in 12 games as part of the offensive line unit, as the Rockets ranked first in the MAC in scoring (32.3), total offense (419.2) and passing efficiency (147.82).
The award is given to senior or graduate student college football student-athletes who have maintained a 3.2 cumulative GPA throughout their college careers as a starter or significant contributor on the playing field. A record 1,988 players from 339 schools were recognized on the list.
