Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame
Defensive lineman Harold Wells spent a great deal of time in opposing backfields from 2001-2004. Wells, who excelled at defensive end and nose guard, earned Division I-AA All-America honors in 2003 and 2004 and was a three-time All-Big South Conference choice from 2002-2004. Wells' best season came in 2004, when he was named NCAA Division I-AA Defensive Lineman of the Year by the Football Gazette and became the first consensus Division I-AA All-America in Big South Conference and Gardner-Webb history. Wells led the nation with 22.5 tackles for loss and finished 2004 with a career-high 86 total stops, three forced fumbles and 12 quarterback hurries. Wells was also named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. Wells wasn't limited to defense, bruising his way to eight touchdowns on just 17 carries as the team's short-yardage fullback. He was a stalwart on each of Gardner-Webb's Big South Conference Championship teams, earning All-Big South honors in both 2002 and 2003 as GWU went 17-5 overall and established a 15-game home win streak in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. He made 47 stops on defense and scored four touchdowns at fullback in 2003, earning first-team All-Big South Conference honors as GWU went 8-4. USA Today named Wells one of the top two-way players in college football midway through the 2003 campaign. Wells went on to a successful professional career, playing in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Columbus Destroyers. He finished his career as that franchise's leading rusher and was twice named to the AFL All-Ironman Team.
