Bates and Belin IV Selected to NFF 2022 Team of Distinction

IRVING, Texas – Duke football freshmen Travis Bates and Henry Belin IV were selected to the 2022 NFF Team of Distinction, announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame.

The two Blue Devils were among the 82-member class, which was picked from a pool of 3,500 scholar-athletes from a nationwide Chapter Network. As part of its mission to promote the scholar-athlete ideal, the initiative allows the NFF to honor the top high school scholar-athletes from around the country as the best and the brightest at the local level while highlighting the work of the NFF Chapter Network.

Bates was a South Region honoree, while Belin IV represented the East Region.

Bates lettered four years at Berkeley Preparatory in Tampa, Fla. He amassed 3,845 rushing yards in 44 career games and rushed for 2,045 yards as a senior, the second-most rushing yards in school history. Bates led Berkeley Prep to a 35-9 record, including a 12-1 mark as a senior and helped the Buccaneers to an appearance in the 2021 Florida state championship game. He was a team captain and 2021 Prime Time Preps Offensive Player of the Year.

Belin IV lettered three seasons at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y. He finished 382-of-627 passing for 6,000 yards with 55 touchdowns and added 90 rushes for 593 yards and 13 scores. Belin IV helped Cardinal Hayes to a 17-11 record, including two state playoff appearances. The team captain and first-team all-state selection was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year and earned the Monsignor Peters' Golden Eleven Award.

"This initiative allows us to shine a national spotlight on some of the most deserving high school student-athletes honored at the local level by our expansive Chapter Network," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "This honor is one of the most prestigious national awards that a high school player can receive. We would like to congratulate all 82 honorees for their success on and off the field, especially with the challenges caused by the pandemic during their senior year. We also want to salute all of our NFF Chapters who continue to play an important role in promoting football in their communities."

The members of the team all played their final high school football season during the 2021-22 school year. As part of the award, all of the honorees will be part of a permanent digital display at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Criteria to make the team include but are not limited to academic achievement, athletic accolades, and community involvement. Each chapter is limited to one honoree, distinguishing them as the top scholar-athlete from all the high schools covered by the chapter.

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Bates and Belin IV Selected to NFF 2022 Team of Distinction

Players Mentioned

Travis Bates

Henry Belin IV

Duke information

Bates and Belin IV Selected to NFF 2022 Team of Distinction

Players Mentioned

Travis Bates

Henry Belin IV

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Duke information