Michael Hershey Named to 2026 Rimington Trophy Award Watch List
8/6/2026 10:33:00 AM | Football
COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland junior center Michael Hershey has been named to the 2026 Rimington Trophy Watch List, the Rimington Trophy Selection Committee announced Thursday. The award is presented annually to the nation's top center in college football.
Hershey, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound standout from Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, enters the 2026 season after anchoring a Maryland offensive line that allowed just nine sacks last season, tied for the third-fewest in the nation.
He helped pave the way for Maryland's season-high 305 rushing yards against Rutgers and played a key role in the Terrapins earning a season-best 94.3 pass-blocking grade against UCLA, according to Pro Football Focus.
In his first career start against Florida Atlantic last season, Hershey helped power an offense that scored 39 points, did not allow a sack, and totaled 380 yards of offense.
The Rimington Trophy Watch List is compiled using school nominations and evaluations from Pro Football Focus (PFF), which grades every player on every play throughout the season. Additional centers may be added to the watch list based on in-season performance. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the nation's top center in NCAA Division I football and has raised more than $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation since its inception.
