Athletic Report
November 22, 1999

LINEBACKERS WALTON, WHITE, G. WILLIAMS
NAMED TO LSC SOUTH ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Ethell, Stewart, J. Williams also on Commissioner’s Honor Roll
PORTALES, NM — The strength of Eastern New Mexico University’s defense the past two seasons has been its linebacking corps. ENMU’s starting linebackers — Michael Walton, Floyd White and Garett Williams have also been quality students.

All three have been recognized for their on-the-field and in-the-classroom efforts after being voted to the 1999 LSC South All-Academic Football Team. LSC South sports information directors selected the All-Academic Team, choosing six student-athletes from 18 players who qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Selections were based on both academic and athletic achievements. Walton (Earth, TX/Texas Tech), who was nominated for the Harlon Hill Award (NCAA Division II equivalent to the Heisman Trophy), earned 89 unassisted tackles and 58 assists for 147 total tackles this year.

He recorded 22 tackles for losses and 7.0 quarterback sacks. He finished his career with 515 total tackles (214 solo, 301 assists), and was named First Team All-LSC South in 1997 and 1998. He was a Second Team All-LSC South pick this year.

In 1998, Walton was selected to four All-America teams and was chosen LSC South Defensive Lineman-of-the-Year. Walton was a First Team GTE Academic All-District VI selection this fall, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He has now been chosen for the LSC All-Academic Team three times. He overall GPA (at both ENMU and Texas Tech) is 3.26. He is majoring in Special Education. White (Pampa, TX/Pampa H.S.) Has earned a 3.611 GPA while majoring in Biology.

On the field, he achieved 266 career tackles, including 29 tackles for losses and 10.5 sacks. This year, White was second on the team with 100 total tackles (56 solo). White was selected as a Burger King Scholar-Athlete on Oct. 2, 1999, an award that gave ENMU $10,000 for its general scholarship fund. He joined Walton as a First Team GTE Academic All-District VI selection this season. He was named the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 1998.

Garett Williams (Monahans, TX/Monahans H.S.) Provided the Greyhounds with 62 total tackles this season, including 32 solo stops. He made 6 tackles for losses and recovered a fumble. In three years at ENMU, he has made 105 total tackles, with 92 earned since 1998. He has also been a key player in pass coverage, especially when the Hounds have faced formations with multiple receivers.

Williams, a junior, is the only starting linebacker with eligibility remaining for next season. He has a 3.66 GPA and is majoring in Biology. He was named Second Team GTE Academic All-District VI this year, and qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll last season.

Other LSC South All-Academic Team selections were Kyle Dempsey of Abilene Christian, Colby Carthel, Curry Dawson and John Burk of Angelo State, Will Shaw of Texas A&M-Commerce, Trent Grona and Trenzio Turner of Tarleton State, and Aaron Bassett of West Texas A&M. Student-athletes qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll by earning at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average in all college level work and by completing a minimum of 24 semesters hours at their current college or university.

In addition to the trio of starting linebackers, Eastern’s remaining student-athletes on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll were David Ethell (Fr. eligibility, LB, Albuquerque, NM/Eldorado H.S.), James Williams (So., QB, Earth, TX/Springlake-Earth H.S.) And James Stewart (Jr., DE, Anton, TX/NM Military Institute). Ethell, who redshirted in 1998, is undecided regarding a major. He has a 3.65 GPA. Williams, also undecided about his major, has a 3.36 GPA. Stewart is majoring in Physical Education and has a 3.33 GPA. He was recently chosen Second Team GTE Academic All-District VI, and was also named Second Team All-LSC South as a result of his athletic success.