Luke Jackson Earns 2026 NCAC Scholar-Athlete Award
Through all the ups and downs of the last four years as a member of the Wittenberg Football program, Luke Jackson ’26 is secure in the knowledge that he gave it everything he had. His extraordinary performance on the field and in the classroom have resulted in several prestigious awards during his senior year.
The latest for Jackson is recognition as one of Wittenberg’s two North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Scholar-Athlete Award-Winners for 2026. Instituted by the NCAC during the 1990-91 school year, the Scholar-Athlete Award annually recognizes one male and one female student-athlete from each member institution for outstanding academic and athletic achievement. Jackson and Wittenberg's female NCAC Scholar-Athlete Award-winner for 2025-26, women's swimming and diving standout Shania Stone. The award-winners are announced each year during the Honors Convocation, which takes place this year on Friday, April 10, and Jackson and Stone will formally receive the awards during the Ezry Awards, which takes place this year on Monday, May 4.
The awards keep coming for Jackson, a team captain in 2025, because he put in the hard work both athletically and academically, according to new Wittenberg Football Head Coach BJ Coad ’08. He calls Jackson a “true Tiger who gave his best to the program and the University,” high praise for a player he never had the opportunity to coach.
Like most students, Jackson’s collegiate journey started with plenty of uncertainty. But his Wittenberg experience has been a positive one, filled with experiences that have shaped his future and given him professional direction.
“I came here knowing that I wanted to be a coach but not knowing that I wanted to be a teacher as well,” said Jackson, a native of DeGraff, Ohio, and a graduate of Indian Lake High School. “Meeting a great group of friends and my future wife here early in my freshman year made adjusting to the new environment a lot easier and a lot more fun. Although my experience has been very positive, I have also been challenged during my time here at Witt. I've been challenged in the classroom, on the football field, and mentally as well.
“I have been able to grow as a person, figuring out how to manage a busy schedule and stay successful through that, allowing myself to take a step back and enjoy life with those around me as well. I have also found, with the help of great professors and advisors, the career path that I believe best fits my passions as well as my God given gifts in teaching math and coaching football.”
A mathematics major with a grade point average of 3.859, Jackson was the leading tackler in the NCAC in 2025 with 109 total tackles and 49 solo stops. A second-team All-NCAC selection in 2024 and a first-team honoree in 2025, Jackson finished his career with 214 tackles, three interceptions, and six pass break-ups. He added third-team All-Region 4 honors in 2025, Academic All-District honors in 2024 and 2025, and Academic All-America honors in 2025. He is one of just 54 student-athletes to ever earn Academic All-America recognition.
Jackson is now making plans to become a teacher and coach. He feels well prepared for what comes next.
“My professional aspirations and goals are really to build character, confidence, and perseverance in the lives of young people, wherever God places me,” Jackson said. “I want my students and players to be challenged and supported in a way that allows them to grow and be excited about getting better, whether that is with mathematics, sports, or just as a human being.
“I believe that I am going into one of the most important professions for the future of our country. I want the students to understand the importance of productive struggle and to be able to live with an unshakeable peace that comes from trusting God with your life. I want those around me to trust that God's plan for their lives is far better than anything we could wish for ourselves even if it doesn't seem like it to us.”
Written By: Ryan Maurer