PHILADELPHIA – Presented annually to the National Offensive Player of the Year in Division I FCS college football, sophomore running back Malachi Hosley was named a finalist for the coveted Walter Payton Award on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The award, in its 38th season and affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
 
Hosley joins Cornell QB Jameson Wang and Harvard QB Jaden Craig as the only other finalists from the Ivy League.
 
Hosley had an excellent second season for the Quakers after earning Ivy League Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Ivy in 2023.
 
He made a start in all 10 games and led the Ivy League in all rushing categories including carries (191), yards (1,192), touchdowns (9), yards per carry (6.2), and yards per game (119.2). His 1,192 yards was 332 more than the second-place tailback (Columbia's Joey Giorgi, 860). The yardage is the eighth-most by a Penn running back in program history, most since Sam Mathews in 2003 (1,266).
 
Hosley ranked fourth in FCS football in rushing yards per game, 11th in total rushing yards, 13th in all-purpose yards per game (128.10) and 16th in yards per carry.
 
He also had seven 100-or-more rushing yard games after four in 2023 and his nine TDs are the most since Karekin Brooks in 2019.
 
Hosley's signature performance of the year came at Cornell, where he rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Penn finished 2024 with an overall record of 4-6 and tied for sixth place in the Ancient Eight with Brown and Princeton.
 
For the latest on Penn football, follow @PennFB on X (formerly Twitter), @PennFootball on Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.