MINNEAPOLIS, MN - April 7, 2017 - St. John’s University linebacker Carter Hanson was named Division III’s most outstanding player of the year while also maintaining a perfect grade point average. The Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation is pleased to announce Hanson as the 2017 recipient of the Stein-Fallon College Scholar-Athlete Award. The award is named after Minnesota Gopher great Bob Stein and business leader Pat Fallon. Hanson will accept the award at the 10 Year Anniversary of the Minnesota Football Honors on May 7.

Hanson, a native of Blue Earth, Minn., received the 2016 Gagliardi Trophy as the top player in Division III football. The award recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. Hanson also made the AP Little All-America First Team and the D3Football.com All-America Third Team. He is a three-time All-MIAC First Team selection.

Hanson led the Johnnies with 74 tackles as a senior. He had eight tackles for loss, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one sack. Hanson helped lead a St. John’s defense that ranked second in the nation in total defense and fourth in scoring defense. His career stat line includes 316 tackles (148 solo), 23.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries.

In the classroom, Hanson turned in a 4.0 cumulative GPA. The global business leadership major earned an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a Campbell Trophy finalist, and is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team member. He is a two-time MIAC Elite 22 Award winner for the top GPA on the conference’s top two teams. He is a member of the Sigma Beta Delta international business honor society.

Hanson was a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team because of his contributions in the community. He is the director of corporate sponsorship for Square One, an on-campus organization that seeks to create lasting micro-business ventures in developing countries. Hanson traveled to Haiti for 10 days last January to help establish a sustainable food source for the chicken coop business that was created in 2014. Kids Against Hunger, SJU’s Tackle Cancer and "Up Till Dawn" campaign and Special Olympics are among his other volunteering interests.

A two-year member of SJU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), he serves as SJU's SAAC president for the 2016-17 school year. He is also a member of SJU's Student Conduct Board, is on the advisory board for the Society for the Advancement of Management and serves as the chair of SJU's Senior Class Committee.

The 10-Year Anniversary of the Minnesota Football Honors will be held Sunday, May 7, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium. College and professional football Hall of Fame inductees are scheduled to attend to celebrate the best of Minnesota football. The largest football awards event in the state is presented by the Minnesota Vikings. The event is open to the public. To register or find additional information about this year’s Minnesota Football Honors, please visit www.minnesotafootballhonors.com. For sponsorship information, please email lindsay@nffmn.org.

##

About the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation:
The Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive spirit and academic excellence in Minnesota’s young people. The MN Chapter recognizes legendary football icons, college football Hall of Famers and Minnesota’s top high school and college football scholar athletes. For more information, visit www.nffmn.org, Facebook or Twitter.

Contact:
Lindsay Lommel, Event Manager
MN Chapter of The National Football Foundation
lindsay@nffmn.org