EASTON, Pa. -- Four Lafayette football players find themselves in distinguished company, named to the 2024 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society announced on Wednesday. The 2024 class was the largest in the program's history and has now honored 18,387 student-athletes since its inception in 2007.
Seniors Mike Barr, Preston Forney, Justin Mitala and Marco Olivas were Lafayette's selections, part of a group of 1,988 players from 339 schools named across the three levels of NCAA football along with the NAIA and sprint football ranks. Honorees must have maintained a 3.2 or better GPA during their career at Lafayette.
At the the top of the list for the Leopards were senior captains Mike Barr and Marco Olivas. An Economics major, Barr was an All-Patriot League First-Team selection who started 12 games at right tackle. He was instrumental in helping teammate Jamar Curtis set a Lafayette single-season rushing record and finish second in the nation in rushing.
Olivas, a three-time All-Patriot League First-Team honoree and two-time Academic All-Patriot League selection, started every game at linebacker in 2023, finishing third on the team in tackles. The Integrative Engineering major guided the defense which led the Patriot League in scoring defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense.
Like Barr, Mitala was a crucial part of the Leopards' run game, seeing action in 11 games at fullback and on special teams. The Economics major was one of 51 players selection for Patriot League Academic Honor Roll distinction following the season.
Forney played alongside Olivas, finishing fourth on the team in tackles as one of four players with 70-plus stops, part of what many considered the most talented linebacker corps in the conference. The Engineering major, who managed at least five tackles in 10 games for the Leopards in 2023, will return for a fifth year in 2024.
The reigning Patriot League champion Leopards are in the midst of their spring season, with the Maroon-White Spring Showcase set for 3 p.m. on April 20 at Fisher Stadium.
