Release courtesy of the National Football Foundation

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the 12 honorees who will receive NFF awards during festivities surrounding the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8. The honorees include leaders in athletics administration, broadcasting, officiating, communications, bowl administration and the NFF's nationwide chapter network.
 
"Our 2026 honorees have dedicated their careers to strengthening the game," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Their tireless work has made an extraordinary impact. We look forward to celebrating their contributions in Las Vegas in December."
 
The 2026 NFF award recipients
 
NFF John L. Toner Award

• Gene Taylor — Director of Athletics, Kansas State University

NFF Chris Schenkel Award

• Todd Ellis — Voice of the Gamecocks, University of South Carolina

NFF Legacy Awards

• Rick Baker — Former President & CEO, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association
• Chris Plonsky — Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director, Chief of Staff, University of Texas
• Steve Shaw — Former Secretary-Rules Editor for Football and National Coordinator of Officials, NCAA
• Herb Vincent — Associate Commissioner for Communications, Southeastern Conference
• New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)

NFF Chapter Leadership Awards

• Paul Glagola — NFF Greater Baltimore [Maryland] Chapter (East Region)
• Bart Curtis — NFF Moose Krause/South Bend [Indiana] Chapter (Midwest Region)
• Greg Draddy — NFF Westchester [New York] Chapter (Northeast Region)
• Joe Thompson — East Tennessee Chapter (South Region)
• Ray Ma'ae — Hawaii Chapter (West Region)

All 12 honorees will be recognized during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Please click here to purchase tickets.
 
The event will also feature the induction of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class, the presentation of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, and the announcement of the recipient of the 37th William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. The 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, who will also serve as the pool of finalists for the Campbell Trophy®, will be announced Oct. 21.

New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
 
Few conferences embody the National Football Foundation's ideals of scholarship, leadership and a love of the game more completely than the New England Small College Athletic Conference, where some of college football's oldest traditions have flourished alongside an unwavering commitment to academic excellence.
 
"The NESCAC represents so much of what the National Football Foundation stands for, with the conference's mission explicitly stating that athletics must support the educational mission of its institutions," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "These schools have been playing football since the late 1800s, and they have never lost sight of why college athletics matter. We are proud to recognize the NESCAC with an NFF Legacy Award for showing how academics and athletics can work together to develop the next generation of leaders."
 
Founded in 1971, the NESCAC today consists of 11 highly selective colleges and universities united by the belief that intercollegiate athletics should operate in harmony with each institution's educational mission. The conference places responsibility for athletic policy with the presidents of its member institutions and has long maintained standards designed to keep athletics strong while preserving their proper role within the overall college experience.
 
Football's roots at NESCAC institutions extend much further than the founding of the conference itself. Every current football-playing member began competing before 1900, creating traditions and rivalries that span generations. Amherst and Williams first met on the gridiron in 1884, and their annual meeting, known as "The Biggest Little Game in America," remains one of college football's oldest rivalries. The game's historic stature helped Williams become the first Division III school to host ESPN's College GameDay when the Ephs hosted Amherst in 2007.
 
Other longstanding traditions include the Little Three competition among Amherst, Wesleyan and Williams, which traces its origins to 1899; the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) Championship among Maine's three NESCAC schools, whose rivalries stretch to the late 19th century; and the in-state rivalry between Trinity and Wesleyan, which began in 1885.
 
In 1883, Wesleyan hosted Michigan in Hartford, defeating the Wolverines 14-6 in the only meeting between the two programs, allowing the Cardinals to claim an undefeated record against the winningest program in college football history.
 
That commitment to combining football with academic achievement is reflected in the NESCAC's remarkable connection to the NFF. Its institutions have produced 12 members of the NFF College Football Hall of Fame — seven players and five coaches — as well as 14 NFF National Scholar-Athletes. Hall of Famers from current NESCAC institutions include legendary players such as Amherst's Jack Hubbard and Freddie Scott, Trinity's Mickey Kobrosky, Tufts' William Grinnell, Wesleyan's Everett Bacon and Harry Van Surdam, and Williams' Benny Lee Boynton, along with distinguished coaches including Lloyd Jordan (Amherst), Tuss McLaughry (Amherst), Forest Evashevski (Hamilton), Charley Caldwell (Williams) and Dick Farley (Williams). That scholar-athlete tradition remains strong today, with 60 NESCAC football players posting GPAs of 3.5 or higher and earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors during the 2025 season alone.
 
Middlebury's Mickey Heinecken, who guided the Panthers for 28 seasons, provides another powerful NFF-NESCAC connection. He helped establish the NFF Vermont Chapter in 1994, exemplifying the longstanding commitment of NESCAC leaders to advancing the game beyond the sidelines.
 
The influence of NESCAC football players has extended far beyond the gridiron. Bowdoin football player Paul Douglas became a renowned economist, decorated Marine and three-term U.S. senator; and Wesleyan's Emilio Daddario served with distinction in World War II before serving six terms in Congress. NFF National Scholar-Athlete Thomas Allen of Bowdoin became a Rhodes Scholar and six-term U.S. congressman, while fellow NFF National Scholar-Athlete David Thompson of Tufts became a prominent engineering executive.
 
The tradition of leadership extends across generations. Wesleyan's Bill Belichick became one of the most accomplished coaches in NFL history. Colby's Eric DeCosta, a 1993 graduate, has risen to executive vice president and general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, building a distinguished career in NFL personnel and management. Williams' George Steinbrenner became one of the most influential figures in professional sports as principal owner of the New York Yankees. Middlebury's Bill Shufelt co-founded the Athletic Brewing Company, the nation's leading nonalcoholic beer brand.
 
Countless other examples run throughout the conference's history, further illustrating how the lessons learned through football at NESCAC institutions have carried into leadership roles across business, government, the military and professional sports.
 
The 2026 season marks a historic new chapter as NESCAC football becomes eligible for the NCAA Division III Championship for the first time. While maintaining its traditional nine-game conference schedule, the team finishing atop the standings will earn the NESCAC's automatic berth in the 40-team championship, with other conference teams eligible for at-large selections.
 
As NESCAC football enters this new era, the conference remains grounded in the philosophy that has defined it for generations: that football can be a powerful part of the educational experience and a vehicle for developing leaders.