US history has been made, as the first active college footballer at Division 1 level publicly comes out as gay.

Arizona State’s offensive lineman Edward ‘Chip’ Sarafin bravely made the announcement in Compete magazine (Read the full article).

Much like with former Missouri defensive lineman Michael Sam, the 320-pound backup footballer came out to his teammates before his publicly revealing the news. Unlike Sam however, Sarafin has a full football season ahead of him, while Sam came out after he had finished playing at the University of Missouri.

Speaking about his decision, Sarafin told gay sports magazine Outsports, “It was really personal for me and it benefited my peace of mind greatly”.

Arizone State coach Todd Graham said in a statement to CBS Sports, “We are a brotherhood that is not defined by cultural and personal differences, but rather an individual’s commitment to the Sun Devil Way”.

Graham added that Sarafin’s commitment to service was “unmatched” and said he believed that the young player was on his way to leading a successful professional career.

Michael Sam, who earlier this summer became the first openly gay player to be selected in the NFL draft, took to Twitter to congratulate Sarafin after hearing the news.

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