Hall, Great American Rivalry Series Announce Inaugural 'Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame Team'

The Great American Rivalry Series® (GARS) along with the Pro Football Hall of Fame are proud to announce the inaugural Great American Rivalry Series Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame Team.

The team is comprised of 25 outstanding student-athletes from across the country who were selected through a nationwide voting process among the 144 GARS Scholar-Athletes chosen this fall.

“The 25 players named to this inaugural Scholar-Athlete team are shining examples of what’s possible when the Values of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are demonstrated on the field and in the classroom,” said Pat Lindesmith, Chief Partnership Officer and Senior Vice President of Gold Jacket Relations. “Leading others by showing that level of Commitment, Integrity, Courage, Respect and Excellence every day will result in many successes for the rest of their lives.”

The Great American Rivalry Series, now in its 17th year, recognizes scholar-athletes for their “on the field” and “in the classroom” successes. All the GARS Scholar-Athletes were awarded college scholarships and commemorative plaques recognizing their placement on the team.

The voting process ran Oct. 19 through Dec. 13 and allowed students, parents, fans and community members to vote and show support for their GARS Scholar-Athlete. The 25 GARS Scholar-Athletes with the most votes earned their spot on the prestigious Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame Team along with an additional scholarship.

“We are proud to announce the first Great American Rivalry Series Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame Team,” GARS founder Rick Ford said. “The dedication and commitment to success these student athletes showcase each day is exemplary, especially facing the challenges presented this year.”

Below is the list of the inaugural Great American Rivalry Series Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame Team:

Caleb Shawen	RB	Mead High School	Spokane, Wash.
Jimmy Rolder	LB	Marist High School	Chicago, Ill.
Thomas "Mack" West	K/P	Richmond Senior High School	Rockingham, N.C.
Tommy Dunn	OL	Rome Free Academy	Rome, N.Y.
Logan Schwartz	OT	Depew High School	Depew, N.Y.
James John	DB	Hamilton High School	Chandler, Ariz.
Dylan Chaney	LB	Piqua High School	Piqua, Ohio
Conner Alford	OL/DL	FJ Reitz High School	Evansville, Ind.
Quinton Martin	LT	Gardiner Area High School	Gardiner, Maine
Austin Garrison	CB/WR	Hillcrest High School	Simpsonville, S.C.
Braden McGowan	LS/RB	Ben Davis High School	Indianapolis, Ind.
Liam Mitchell	OL	Saint Joseph Regional High School	Montvale, N.J.
Aidan Swanner	DT/OG	West Monroe High School	West Monroe, La.
Samuel Cochran	LB	Concord High School	Concord, N.C.
Cooper Miethe	MLB	Mt. Spokane High School	Mead, Wash.
Ethan Kowalski	OL	Lancaster High School	Lancaster, N.Y.
Jordan Calvin	OLB	DeSmet Jesuit High School	St. Louis, Mo.
Braxton Baumann	DE	Alcoa High School	Alcoa, Tenn.
Patrick Maloney	QB	Blue Springs High School	Blue Springs, Mo.
Alex Bennett	WR/DB	Martins Ferry High School	Martins Ferry, Ohio
Dalton Schellhammer	OL	Lakeland High School	Lakeland, Fla.
Jake Kazanowsky	QB	Toms River High School North	Toms River, N.J.
Ian Paul	LB	Shamokin Area High School	Coal Township, Pa.
Michael Zeszutek	C	Middletown High School	Middletown, N.Y.
Nick Paradise	OL	Hoover High School	Hoover, Ala.

The United States Marine Corps continued its long-standing association with the Great American Rivalry Series.

“The elite status of the Rivalry Series and Hall of Fame fits perfectly with the Fighting Spirit of the Marine Corps and these fine young athletes,” said Leroy Pennington, Marine Corps Marketing Specialist. “They have earned their status as a member of the first-ever Great American Rivalry Series Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame Team and we’re honored to recognize their accomplishments.”

To view the full list of 144 GARS Scholar-Athletes or for more information on the Great American Rivalry Series, visit GreatAmericanRivalry.com.