Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

RICHMOND, Va. -- University of Delaware senior middle linebacker Erik Johnson has been named to the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society.

Johnson (at right), a senior health and physical education major from Fairport, N.Y. (Fairport High School), was one of eight Colonial Athletic Association student-athletes and one of 564 players from every division nationwide honored for their performance on the field and in the classroom.

To earn membership, student-athletes must be a starter or key reserve for their team, be in their final year of eligibility, and carry a 3.2 or better cumulative grade point average.

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society goal is to strengthen the organization’s leadership role in encouraging academic performance by student-athletes who play football at the more than 700 college and and universities with football programs.

Johnson, a three-year starter at linebacker for the Hens and a 2008 co-captain, endured an injury-plagued season as a senior in 2008 but still managed to play in 11 games with 10 starts and ranked fourth on the team with 62 tackles. He also had 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and one interception and was named the Blue Hen Touchdown Club Outstanding Senior Defensive Player.

For his career, he posted 322 tackles to rank No. 9 all-time at Delaware and also posted 30 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, six pass breakups, and seven interceptions.

The owner of a 3.2 grade point index, he was a four-time member of the conference academic honor roll.