NFF National Scholar-Athletes
Brayden Long, QB – Slippery Rock (PA)
4.00 GPA – Sport Management
Head Coach: Shawn Lutz | Athletics Director: Dr. Roberta Page
Faculty Athletics Representative: Dr. Joanne Leight
Recipient of William Pearce Scholar-Athlete Award, Endowed by William A. Schreyer
A tremendous leader, Brayden Long charted a course that has produced a phenomenal list of achievements during his college career at The Rock. The Hanover, Pennsylvania, native, now becomes the third NFF National Scholar-Athlete from Slippery Rock.
Boasting a perfect 4.00 GPA as a sport management major, Long graduated summa cum laude in May. He is continuing post-baccalaureate studies in physical activity and fitness management. A 2023 CSC Second Team Academic All-American, Long was selected as one of only 26 DII men from all sports to receive an NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Scholarship, and he was the only football player in the country to be recognized as a 2023-24 Regional Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the DII Conference Commissioners Association. The 2023-24 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Long is a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete selection and has made the Dean's List every semester.
A two-year team captain, Long has quarterbacked SRU to the PSAC West title and a Division II Playoff appearance every year of his career. Long led the 2023 team to a perfect 10-0 regular season, the Division II Quarterfinals and a No. 10 final ranking. SRU finished with a No. 16 national ranking in 2022 and No. 20 in 2021. Seven games into the 2024 season, The Rock are 6-1.
Earning All-America Honorable Mention honors in 2023, Long finished fifth in the national voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which goes to the Division II Player of the Year. The 2023 Division II Super Region One Offensive Player of the Year, Long is the only player in PSAC football history to win both Athlete of the Year honors and the league's Champion Scholar Award.
Long's career totals currently include 5,629 passing yards and 49 touchdowns while rushing for 104 yards and nine touchdowns. His 69.3 completion percentage in 2023 set the Rock single-season record and his career 67.6 completion percentage is the all-time SRU record. His 3,808 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns in 2023 are both No. 2 in SRU single-season history.
Active in the community, Long co-launched "Team ROCK," a student-athlete led ministry on campus, and he serves on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. His volunteer efforts include the Special Olympics; the American Cancer Society Relay of Life; Read Across America; and assisting with youth sports in Slippery Rock and his hometown.
(All stats as of Oct. 23, 2024)
