Springfield, Ohio — Jeremy Block, class of 2011 from Pittsburgh, Pa., is one of 671 student-athletes from 241 schools who qualified for induction into the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.

To be nominated for the Hampshire Honor Society, student-athletes must have been a starter or significant contributor in their final season of eligibility while achieving at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and meeting all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements and graduation.

The honor is the latest in a string of awards Block has received during the 2010-11 school year, including the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Student-Athlete Award, presented annually to Wittenberg student-athletes who perform with distinction both in the classroom and on the playing field. One male and one female student-athlete from each of the NCAC's 10 member institutions are selected for the award annually.

Block earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America College Division All-District IV honors in 2010. An art major, Block carries a 3.63 grade point average while participating in a variety of extracurricular activities at Wittenberg. Block's charitable activities are most notable, earning him a nomination to the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team in 2010. He was a team leader as the Tiger football squad has participated in Wittenberg's Relay for Life event in 2009 and 2010, and Block was the student organizer of the university's annual Empty Bowls event on March 24, which raised more than $35,000 for local food banks.

On the field, Block made the most of his 5-9 stature, starting every game on the offensive line between 2008 and 2010, and serving as a team captain as a senior. After two years as a starting guard, including an All-NCAC performance as the Tigers won the title and advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinals in 2009, Block moved to center in 2010 and helped the Tigers repeat as conference champions. He earned a second straight All-NCAC nod for his performance last fall.

Block was also one of 27 NCAA Division III semifinalists for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes academic and athletic success, leadership and citizenship. He helped the Tigers to the outright NCAC title in 2011 with a perfect 6-0 record, which advanced the Tigers to their 14th NCAA Division III Tournament, where they lost 37-14 at Ohio Northern in the first round.

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Erin Pence

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