Byrd, Normand named to 2018 NFF Hampshire Honor Society
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – There’s already been volumes written about the athletic and academic prowess Dontez Byrd and Elliott Normand have shown throughout their Tennessee Tech football careers. Now the duo has another honor to add to their list as the pair was named to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s Hampshire Honor Society for 2018.
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – There's already been volumes written about the athletic and academic prowess Dontez Byrd and Elliott Normand have shown throughout their Tennessee Tech football careers.
Now the duo has another honor to add to their list as the pair was named to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's Hampshire Honor Society for 2018.
The list, which includes an all-time high of 1,251 players from 302 schools, is comprised of players that finished their final year of eligibility this past season, have achieved a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout their undergraduate study and met all NCAA- or NAIA-mandated progress toward their degree.
Byrd, a Louisville, Ky., native, set school records in receptions and receiving yards for the second straight season as he hauled in 78 passes for 1,003 yards in 2017. He became the first Golden Eagle receiver to ever surpass 1,000 yards in a single season. Byrd ranked 10th nationally in receptions per game (7.1), 15th in receiving yards and 18thin receiving yards per game (91.2).
Normand, a native of Oak Ridge, Tenn., had 88 total tackles, 33 solo and 55 assisted, with one sack for seven yards and eight tackles-for-loss. He also has a forced fumble and an interception.
Normand and Byrd were both named to CoSIDA's Academic All-District team in November.
Both were also previously honored by the NFF as Byrd was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and Normand was recognized with the Middle Tennessee chapter's Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Award in March.
Also making the list from across the OVC were Austin Askin, Addison Bounds, Bradley Dewberry, Cody Edwards, A.J. Hantak and Ryan Ramirez from Eastern Illinois, Jeffrey Canady and Keith Wrzuszczak from Eastern Kentucky, Dalton Campbell, Ra'Shad Green, Dean Kelly, Justin Lea and Siran Neal from Jacksonville State, and Joe Irby and Zach Shipley from Murray State.
