National Football Foundation

Chris Ganious is one of the most accomplished rushers in the Football Championship Subdivision and one of the top scholars in all of college football. He is South Dakota's third NFF National Scholar-Athlete and first since 1992.

Named a 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN Second Team Academic All-American, Ganious is a two-time FCS ADA Academic All-Star and a two-time First Team Academic All-Great West Conference pick. An eight-semester member of the Dean's List, he was named the USD Psychology Department's Outstanding Junior in 2009.

A two-time First Team All-GWC honoree, he was the league's second-leading rusher in 2010 and led the conference in 2009. He currently ranks sixth among all FCS active rushers and third in school history with 2,760 yards and fifth among active players with 538 career carries. The Houston, Texas native also led the club in rushing as a redshirt freshman in 2008 and was named the team's Most Valuable Freshman. In 2011, Ganious has rushed 90 times for 360 yards and one touchdown with six receptions for 47 yards through eight games.

Currently serving as the co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Ganious was South Dakota's student representative at the NCAA National Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, and a member of the Gender Equity Oversight Committee on Title IX. A volunteer for Children's Home and Aid Rice Center, Ganious is a frequent nursing home visitor. He has also served on South Dakota's athletics director search committee. In 2014, Ganious received his Master of Physician Assistant from Wichita State University.