The St. Thomas football team broke the NCAA Division III record for most players named to the Hampshire Award list, an annual academic honor given out by the National Football Foundation.

Nineteen Tommies, including All-Americans Isaac Seering and Austin Jochum, were named to this year’s list on April 11, beating the previous record of 18. Seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or better are eligible for the honor.

“I think it’s an unbelievable and tangible reminder of how seriously our players take the balance in what they do here,” Caruso said. “We’re very proud of the product we’re able to put out the field, but equally proud of the product we’re able to put out in the classroom.”

This was an impressive senior class, and it all started with the size.

“Thirty was the largest senior class we’ve had since we’ve been here in 10 years,” Caruso said. “Typically, our senior classes are in that 24-to-26 range.”

Size wasn’t the only thing that helped this class break the record.

“Excellence is not something we simply do when we walk in the locker room; it’s a part of who we are,” Caruso said. “It’s comprehensive, it’s wholistic, and it’s to be done at the best possible level.”

The balance between football, school and life can be a difficult one, but these Tommies seemed to figure it out. Senior linebacker Declan Brown said it’s a reflection of the workload that each student-athlete takes on.

“(We) spend around 19 hours a week on football related activity alone,” he said, “and when you mix in school, especially engineering or business, it gets tight … and you have to make a lot of sacrifices.”

The class will graduate with a career record of 45-7 and two MIAC championships.

“The intention wasn’t to break a record, it was simply to be the best versions of us we could be,” Caruso said. “I think our guys did that.”

Brady Halbmaier can be reached at halb2084@stthomas.edu.