Arizona State offensive lineman Chip Sarafin has announced that he is gay.
According to USA Today, Sarafin will be the first actively gay college football player.
He followed the lead of SEC defensive player of the year Michael Sam who came out after he finished his career at Missouri.
Sam showed his support for Sarafin on twitter.
Congratulations Chip Sarafin for having the courage to be yourself. Wishing you and your teammates much success this season. #courage2014
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) August 13, 2014
Sarafin is a redshirt senior and is the back up center. He graduated in the spring with a degree in biomedical engineering and he is in the ASU biomedical engineering grad-program, according to ESPN.
He is involved with many off-the-field activities, including researching concussions, helping local youth sports and being in the Tillman Scholars program.
He told the Compete, an Arizona LGBT sports magazine, that coming out has helped him be who he is.
“It was really personal to me, and it benefited my peace of mind greatly.”
Head football coach Todd Graham said in a statement released by ASU that the team is a brotherhood that stay’s together because of the “Sun Devil Way” and Sarafin is the ultimate student-athlete with everything he does off the field and in the community.