IRVING, Texas (Dec. 3, 2014) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the names of the 17 faculty athletics representatives who will be honored as part of the 2014 NFF Faculty Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, honoring the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation. NAU's Dr. Debbie Craig is one of 17 FAR's to be recognized.  

"For decades, faculty athletics representatives have played a critical role in the overall educational experience of our country's student-athletes," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are proud to join Fidelity Investments in highlighting their contributions and pivotal support in ensuring that our nation's student-athletes succeed on and off the field."

For 2014, the NFF will recognize 17 faculty athletics representatives from the 17 schools with a 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, including (with the names of the scholar-athletes in parentheses):

• Arizona State University, Jeffrey Wilson (Taylor Kelly, QB, 3.31 GPA)
• Concordia University Wisconsin, Karl Knorr (Austin Damaschke, QB, 3.67 GPA)
• Duke University, Martha Putallaz (David Helton, LB, 3.64 GPA)
•  Henderson State University (Ark.), Patrick Wempe (Kevin Rodgers, QB, 3.82 GPA)
• Indiana University, Kurt Zorn (Mark Murphy, S, 3.85 GPA)
• Kansas State University, Be Stoney (Tyler Lockett, WR, 3.24 GPA)
• Michigan State University, Sue Carter (Mike Sadler, P, 3.97 GPA)
• Missouri State University, Jim Hutter (Caleb Schaffitzel, S, 3.93 GPA)
• Northern Arizona University, Debbie Craig (Austin Hasquet, LB, 3.97 GPA)
• Northwestern University, Robert Gundlach (Brandon Vitabile, C, 3.56 GPA)
• South Dakota State University, Richard Reid (Zach Zenner, RB, 3.87 GPA)
• Stanford University, Al Camarillo (Jordan Richards, S, 3.31 GPA)
• Tarleton State University (Texas), Robert Newby (Charles Moore, S, 3.83 GPA)
• Trinity College (Conn.), Christoph Geiss (Mike Mancini, S, 3.82 GPA)
• United States Military Academy, Cindy Jebb (Terry Baggett, RB, 3.37 GPA)
• University of Texas at San Antonio, Gregg Michel (Nate Leonard, C, 3.99 GPA)
• Yale University, Penelope Laurans (Tyler Varga, TB, 3.56 GPA)

The NFF thanks the I-A Faculty Athletics Representatives Board, who consulted with the NFF on designing the initiative and still collaborates on its implementation. Launched in 2011 by Fidelity and the NFF, the initiative is an extension of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Program that provides postgraduate scholarships for college football's elite student-athletes. At the start of the 2014 season, Fidelity became the presenting sponsor of the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's premier scholar-athlete award, which is celebrating its 25^th Anniversary in 2014.

Fidelity, which is also the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, has taken on a leadership role with the initiative as a natural extension of its ongoing support of the scholar-athlete ideal and commitment to higher education nationwide. As part of the initiative, each school with an NFF National Scholar-Athlete receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school ($85,000 total) from Fidelity will be made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools.

"Honoring the faculty athletics representatives from the schools with NFF National Scholar-Athletes sends a powerful message," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "There is no group more committed to the well-being of our student-athletes, and the NFF National Scholar-Athlete success stories provide a natural vehicle for emphasizing the important contributions of the faculty athletics representatives in ensuring a strong connection between the academic and athletic experiences of our nation's student-athletes."

About the National Scholar-Athlete Awards

The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, were established in 1959 as the first initiative in history to honor scholar-athletes with post-graduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. In 2011, Fidelity Investments became the first official sponsor in the history of the program, which has awarded more than $10.7 million to 804 individuals since its inception. The program currently provides more than $313,000 each year in postgraduate scholarships to the nation's top scholar-athletes from all levels of collegiate play.

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Fame inductees and athletics administrators. The committee traditionally selects 15 to 17 scholar-athletes from across the country for these prestigious $18,000 fellowships.

Notable past NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award recipients include actor Mark Harmon (UCLA); Hampden-Sydney College President Chris Howard (Air Force); NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond); former Dateline NBC anchor Stone Phillips (Yale); Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club Billy Payne (Georgia); record-setting NFL quarterback Peyton Manning (Tennessee); famed NFL quarterback Steve Young (BYU); and Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (Oregon State), Gary Beban (UCLA), Doug Flutie (Boston College) and Tim Tebow (Florida). For more information regarding the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards or the College Football Hall of Fame programs, please visit www.footballfoundation.org.