IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced the names on the 2022 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, including 78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.

Mississippi Valley State has four former student-athletes listed on the ballot; Ashley Ambrose(1988-91), Vincent Brown(1984-87), Parnell Dickinson(1972-75) and Bob Gaddis(1970-72, 1974). 

Ashley Ambrose, Defensive Back
1991 First-Team All-American and First Team All-SWAC selection … Named SWAC Defensive Back and Return Specialist of the Year in 1991 … Led nation in punt returns during senior campaign.

Vincent Brown, Linebacker
1987 First-Team All-American, leading the NCAA in tackles in 1986 and 1987 … Set NCAA All-Divisions record with 570 career tackles … Three-time All- SWAC selection who led MVSU in tackles his last three seasons.

Parnell Dickinson, Quarterback
1975 First-Team All-American and Pittsburgh Courier National Player of the Year … Four-time All-SWAC selection and conference Player of the Year as a senior … Finished career as SWAC’s all-time leader in total offense (7,442 yards).

Bob Gaddis, Wide Reciever
1974 First- Team All-American and Pittsburgh Courier National Receiver of the Year … Named 1970 NAIA Freshman of the Year en route to twice leading the NAIA in yards per catch (1971-72) … Three-time All-SWAC selection led conference in yards per catch all four years.

“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.47 million people have played college football and only 1,038 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and we look forward to announcing the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year.”

“Having a ballot and a voice in the selection of the College Football Hall of Fame inductees is one of the most cherished NFF member benefits,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, a 1989 Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi. “There is no group more knowledgeable or passionate about college football than our membership, and the tradition of the ballot helps us engage them in the lofty responsibility of selecting those who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in our sport.”
 
The announcement of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2022, with specific details to be announced in the future.
 
The 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6, 2022, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2022 season.

About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Future for Football, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Goodyear, Jostens, the New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.

About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.

COURTESY SWAC COMMUNICATIONS