HALL OF FAME FEATURE: Mario Huffman '09

Mario Huffman’s journey to the Averett University Athletics Hall of Fame is proof that, despite taking a few detours and weathering some bumpy roads along the way, hard work and believing in yourself ultimately pays off.

The former Averett football standout grew up and played high school ball just a few miles up Mount Cross Road from North Campus, but the allure of big-time college football led him to begin his college career at Virginia Tech, where he tried to walk on to the football team.

“Growing up, especially in the backyard of Tobacco Road, one of the things that caught my eye was college athletics and the opportunity to play at a high-level Division I program,” Huffman said. ”Being ignorant to the fact that there are other great institutions and sports programs regardless of the level, I just had it in my mind that it was ACC or bust. I pursued an opportunity at Virginia Tech as a student and walked on there, but it wasn’t favorable for me. I think I walked on once and was cut three separate occasions in an attempt to secure a roster spot just to be on the football team. It really was a low point for me in the sense that I’d always found success on the field of play.”

As it turned out, Huffman realized he could play big-time football in his hometown. He had built a relationship with then-Athletics Director Sam Ferguson, who Huffman phoned to inquire about coming to play at Averett. The door was open and an opportunity was there to transfer.

“Being able to come back home specifically and be embraced by a school that wanted me and some coaches that loved me and an opportunity to play — it had been four years since I had touched the field from 2004 to 2008,” Huffman recalled. “There was a little bit of concern to whether I could still do it, but not only did it resurrect my playing career but it resurrected my professional career as well with a first-class education and an opportunity to step into the world of business finance. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if Averett didn’t embrace me and welcome me back even though I chose to go somewhere else first. Averett has been a true joy and highlight in my life and I’m so grateful.”

Once he transferred to Averett, Huffman had to figure out where he fit in on the football field. It had been years since he played a game, but in his mind he also knew he had the skills and work ethic to be successful. And he was coming into a situation where there was an established roster, especially at the linebacker position. 

“That was hard,” Huffman said. “Transferring from Virginia Tech, although it had the stigma of this guy is a big-time Division I player, man, I hadn’t even touched the field. I didn’t know if I still had it, but I knew I wanted to be given an opportunity. You think about the guys that were already there. The Logan Smyths, the Zane Coopers and those types of guys.”

Huffman earned a starting role entering the 2008 season.

“It wasn’t perceived well by a few guys and I understand,” Huffman recalled. “They knew the program, they knew the system, they’d been through the two-a-days and had worked hard in the weight room, they’d positioned themselves and had many difficult things they’d maybe overcame. And then here I come out of nowhere, not knowing the culture and not knowing the family and being given that opportunity. Early on, it certainly ruffled some feathers, but if it didn’t, we wouldn’t be the men that we are. Having high testosterone and having a chip on your shoulder to be great is what actually challenges your teammates to be better.”

In his first game against Bridgewater College, Huffman led Averett with eight tackles and forced a fumble. 

“After the first game when we played Bridgewater, I made the first tackle and had a halfway decent game,” Huffman said. “A couple of guys came up and basically said, ‘Hey man, I know I may have been a little disrespectful and maybe treated you a certain type of way out of the gate, but after this first game we see you really can play. We’re excited to have you as a part of the team.’” 

Huffman went on to record 80 tackles over 10 games, which led the defense during the 2008 campaign. He also had one sack, three forced fumbles and 5.5 tackles for loss, which helped him earn the USA South Athletic Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year honor.

“We didn’t know what the first year would look like, but I wanted to give it everything I had,” Huffman said. “Week after week, I began to realize I was getting back to being acclimated to being on the field on an ongoing basis. The numbers just started piling up. To get to the end of the year and to receive the rookie of the year award — I didn’t expect that but it was an accolade I was excited about.”

Ultimately, though, Huffman wanted to win a football championship. After going 5-5 during his first season with the Cougars, Averett positioned itself to achieve that goal during his second season in 2009. Averett was 7-2 entering the final game of the season. The Cougars were up 21-14 in the second quarter but fell short.

Although he finished his undergraduate studies in 2009, Huffman elected to take graduate classes and return for a third season in 2010 to try to chase that championship with his teammates. The Cougars opened the season 4-1, including the program’s first-ever road win over Christopher Newport University in Week 5 — one of Huffman’s favorite on-field memories. However, late in that game, Huffman hurt his shoulder and he missed several games.

“The biggest disappointment was the fact that our senior year, me and a couple other guys went down with injuries when we were 4-1 and had the opportunity to do some special things,” Huffman lamented after the Cougars went 1-4 for the final five games to finish 5-5 in 2010.

“One of the biggest things that I’ve learned throughout my journey is that your character really shows in the difficult seasons,” Huffman said. “How you respond to adversity and how you embrace failure. That’s everything. I believe our culture today wants to have immediate success and when things get hard, it’s let me pivot and go do something else. One of the biggest things that happened to me in my life was having the privilege to play on the championship basketball team as well at Averett in my first year. There are just a lot of character-defining moments that happened at Averett that helped me understand the significance of perseverance.”

Huffman, who also was a standout basketball player in high school, joined the Averett men’s basketball team during his first year on campus. The Cougars were in the middle of a historic run having won three consecutive conference titles and making two NCAA Tournaments in a row. With the starring cast gearing up for one final run in 2008-09, Huffman jumped at the chance to be a part of the program.

“Really, the more challenging thing that I experienced was being a part of a team where I knew that I may never touch the basketball court,” Huffman said. “I remember calling my aunt at the time — basically she was like my mom because my mom passed when I was 7 — and she said, ‘Mario, you made a decision to play basketball. It’s not going the way that you want and you’re not playing and you’re not the star, but if you were to quit now, it would basically be you giving up on everything you believe in. If you start something, finish it.’ I remember that conversation was toward the end of the first semester. I embraced it. I went to practice every day and worked hard.”

Averett went on to win the conference for a fourth time in a row, won the conference tournament for the third consecutive time and made the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year while advancing to the second round.

“At the end of the championship run, I remember our awards ceremony and Jonathan Rumley, Justin Parker, Damien Brown and Ryan Frazier saying, ‘We wouldn’t have been where we are today if it wasn’t for how hard Mario pushed us in practice.’ So for the first time in my life, I wasn’t the star of the show. I was supporting cast. But even in that role, you make a difference in how that team competes and how hard they play.”

When Huffman got the call that he was going to be inducted into the 2022 Averett Athletics Hall of Fame class during Homecoming on Oct. 8, he said it was truly an honor.

Huffman ranks sixth all-time in program history with 226 career tackles. His 86 tackles in a single season ranks as the 10th highest total for a Cougar. Huffman also finished with 13.5 tackles for a loss of 54 yards, five forced fumbles and four recovered fumbles in 27 career games. Huffman was named to the USA South All-Conference First Team in 2008 and 2009, and he earned Second Team honors in 2010 despite missing three games due to injury. Huffman also received Roanoke Times All-State First Team honors in 2008 and 2009 and Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State First Team in 2008 and Second Team in 2009. Following his senior season in which he took graduate class from Averett, Huffman was the recipient of the 2009-10 Dr. Tommy Foster Male Athlete of the Year. Huffman was Averett's representative on the 2010 USA South All-Sportsmanship Team and was later named to the USA South's 50th Anniversary football team in 2013. 

“As I look at this honor, it’s just a reminder of the many endless conversations that I had that I would never be able to recall and just being truly grateful for every investment from every individual that I’ve interacted with in my time at Averett but also continuously as I continue to see some tremendous things,” said Huffman, who is currently licensed financial advisor with the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Group in Richmond, where he lives with his wife, Holly, and two children, Myla and Israel. “I couldn’t be more excited about what the university and what athletics is doing. I hang my degree proudly in my firm. 

“I just truly felt like my life mattered and I wasn’t a number,” Huffman added. “I think that’s what you get not only at a smaller school but specifically at Averett University.”