BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb signed 11 football student-athletes to
National Letters of Intent Wednesday as part of National Signing Day
festivities.

GWU addressed major needs along the offensive and defensive lines, and
signed players from five states – Georgia (4), South Carolina (3),
North Carolina (2), Tennessee (1) and New Jersey (1). Of the 11 players
who signed Wednesday, six play on either the offensive or defensive
line.

Two of those linemen – Winston-Salem (N.C.) East Forsyth center Jeff
Harris (6-2, 265) and Durham (N.C.) Hillside defensive lineman Nick
Stone (6-3, 245) – are each rated by ESPN.com among the top-200
prospects at their positions nationally for the Class of 2009. Another,
Milford (N.Y.) Academy defensive tackle Matt Goods (6-3, 275), is rated
as one of the nation's top-50 postgraduate prospects in the Class of
2009 by Rivals.com, and as a three-star prospect by the national online
recruiting publication.

"We are confident that our program will be helped significantly by the
11 young men who signed with Gardner-Webb University today," said GWU
head coach Steve Patton. "We didn't lose many seniors from last season,
so heading into recruiting we knew we had to concentrate on quality,
character and specific needs. We needed immediate help on both lines,
and secured a group of youngsters who will make impacts very early in
the trenches. That has always been one of the toughest position groups
to recruit at the FCS level, so we are thrilled with the young men who
joined us today."

Gardner-Webb is expected to add to its current recruiting class in the
next seven days.

2009 Football National Letter of Intent Signees (Alphabetical Order)
Sean Davis * 5-11 * 160 * CB * Locust Grove, Ga. / Luella HS
Jamie Dunaway * 6-4 * 265 * OL * Duncan, S.C. / Byrnes HS
Matt Goods * 6-3 * 275 * DL * Newark, N.J. / Milford (NY) Academy
Keenan Grissett * 6-2 * 210 * ATH * Augusta, Ga. / Cross Creek HS
Jeff Harris * 6-2 * 265 * OL * Winston-Salem, N.C. / East Forsyth HS
James Harrill * 6-2 * 307 * OL * Knoxville, Tenn. / Hargrave Military
Jonathan Langston * 5-11 * 210 * LB * Snellville, Ga. / Grayson HS
Courtney Roundtree * 6-1 * 190 * DB * Augusta, Ga. / Laney HS
Austin Sargent * 6-3 * 265 * OL * Ninety Six, S.C. / Ninety Six HS
Hudson Smith * 6-1 * 230 * ATH * Aiken, S.C. / Aiken HS
Nick Stone * 6-3 * 245 * DE * Durham, N.C. / Hillside HS

BIOS

Sean Davis • 5-11 • 160 • CB • Locust Grove, Ga. / Luella HS
Played at Luella (Ga.) High under Coach Paul Burgdorf ... Runs the
40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds ... True cover corner ... A first-team All-Area
selection by the Clayton News-Daily ... A first-team All-Region 2-AAAAA
selection at cornerback ... Also a standout punt and kick returner ...
Helped team to a 7-4 record in 2008 ... Finished season with 40 tackles,
two pass break ups and a forced fumble ... Caught 10 passes for 84
yards ... Named second-team All-Region 2-AAAAA at cornerback as a
junior in 2007 ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Jacksonville State and
Toledo ... Also considered Ball State, Troy, UAB, Furman and Georgia
Southern.

Jamie Dunaway • 6-4 • 265 • OL • Duncan, S.C. / Byrnes HS
Played at Byrnes (S.C.) High under Coach Chris Miller ... Three-year
starter for one of the nation's top teams ... Helped Rebels to a Class 4A
Big 16 State Championship and a final national ranking of No. 8 in 2008
... An honorable mention All-State selection by the Columbia (S.C.) State
newspaper ... Named first team All-Area by the Spartanburg Herald-Journal
... A member of the Greer Citizen All-Academic Team ... Rated the No. 91
senior prospect in South Carolina by the S.C. High School Sports Report
... Lead blocker for an offense that averaged 41.6 points per game and
407 total yards per game ... Graded out at 85 percent on the season, with
25 key blocks on touchdowns and 16 pancakes ... Played in the annual
SCADA North/South All-Star Game ... An All-Area selection as a junior by
the Spartanburg Herald-Journal ... Had 37 knockdown blocks and 16
pancakes in helping Byrnes to a 15-0 record, the S.C. Class 4A-Big 16
State Championship and a national top-20 ranking ... Chose Gardner-Webb
over Presbyterian.

Matt Goods • 6-3 • 275 • DT • Newark, N.J. / Milford Academy
Played at Milford (N.Y.) Prep under Coach Bill Chaplick ... Rated the
nation's No. 7 prep school level defensive tackle by Rivals.com (three
stars), and a top-50 national postgraduate prospect ... Finished 2008
season with 40 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, seven
quarterback pressures and four forced fumbles for a team that finished
with a 9-3 record ... Played in 2007 at Avon Old Farms (Conn.) School
under Coach Kevin Driscoll ... Earned All-Erickson League honors at
defensive tackle ... Had 60 tackles, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles in
2007 ... Played high school football at St. Mary (N.J.) High in
Rutherford, N.J., under Coach Mike Sheridan ... An All-Bergen County
choice as a senior ... Led St. Mary to the N.J. State Group I Parochial
Championship ... Had 56 total tackles and 10 sacks as a senior ... MVP of
the state title game with eight hits and three tackles for loss ...
Chose Gardner-Webb over Buffalo, Stony Brook and Monmouth ... Also
recruited by Rutgers.

Keenan Grissett • 6-2 • 210 • ATH • Augusta, Ga. / Cross Creek HS
Played at Cross Creek (Ga.) High under Coach Scott Tate ... Runs the
40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds ... Capable of playing multiple positions on
the collegiate level ... Played in the annual GACA Georgia North/South
All-Star Game ... Compiled 4,584 total offensive yards and 60
touchdowns over final two seasons ... An All-Region 3-AAAA selection as
an all-purpose player ... Passed for 1,543 yards and 15 touchdowns and
rushed for 710 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior ... Earned second-team
All-Area honors from the Augusta Chronicle ... Passed for 213 yards and
ran for 108 in win over Butler (Ga.) High ... Had three 100-yard rushing
games ... Passed for 1,603 yards and 19 touchdowns in nine games as a
junior in 2007, leading the Razorbacks to an 8-3 record and the state
playoffs ... Ran for 728 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2007 ... Chose
Gardner-Webb over Alabama A&M and Morgan State ... Also recruited by
Vanderbilt, Florida International and Wake Forest.

Jeff Harris • 6-2 • 265 • OL • Winston-Salem, N.C. / East Forsyth HS
Played at East Forsyth (N.C.) High under Coach Todd Willert ...
Three-year starter ... Very athletic lineman who will play center at
Gardner-Webb ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds ... Rated the No. 160
guard in the country by ESPN.com ... The No. 3 rated guard in the state
by ESPN.com ... A first-team All-Northwest selection by the Winston-Salem
Journal ... Named All-Forsyth County and All-Conference ... Old Spice Red
Zone nominee ... Led team with 54 pancake blocks in 2008, and allowed
just one sack ... Helped team to a 12-2 record, a Metro 4A Conference
title and the Class 4AA quarterfinals ... Cleared a path for an offense
that averaged 215.5 yards per game on the ground and 33 rushing
touchdowns ... Team averaged 28.8 points per game ... Also named
All-Forsyth County and All-Conference as a junior ... Team averaged 191.4
yards per game on the ground in 2007 ... Finished 6th in the state in the
shot put at the 2008 N.C. 4A Indoor State Championships ... Helped East
Forsyth win the 2008 state title ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Wofford,
Appalachian State, Furman, Elon and Coastal Carolina.

James Harrill • 6-2 • 307 • OL • Knoxville, Tenn. / Hargrave Military
Played at Hargrave Military Academy under coach Robert Prunty ... Started
at right guard and helped Tigers' powerful post graduate team to an
10-1 record and wins over junior varsity programs at Navy, East
Carolina, Marshall and postgraduate rival Fork Union Military Academy ...
Blocked for an offense that averaged 36.3 points per game ... Played
senior season at Farragut (Tenn.) High under Coach Eddie Courtney as a
prep senior ... Helped team average 382.3 yards of total offense per game
and 268.6 yards per game on the ground ... Cleared a path for a
2,700-yard rusher and 45 total rushing touchdowns on the season ...
Admirals went 11-2 and won the Region 2-5A title ... Spent sophomore
and junior seasons at Grace Christian (Tenn.) High under Bill Satterfield
... An honorable mention All-Region selection as a junior ...
Named team's 2005 and 2006 Offensive Lineman of the Year ... Drew early
recruiting interest from Memphis, UAB and South Florida.

Jonathan Langston • 5-11 • 210 • LB • Snellville, Ga. / Grayson HS
Played at Grayson (Ga.) High under Coach Mickey Conn ... An All-State
selection in 2008 at linebacker ... A first-team All-Area selection by
the Gwinnett Daily Post and the Gwinnett County Touchdown Club in 2008
... Selected to play in the Gwinnett County All-Star Game ... Had 105
tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, 10 quarterback pressures and a
pair of fumble recoveries for the Rams ... Helped team to a 12-1 record
and the Class 5A state playoffs ... Rams won the 2008 Region 8-AAAAA
championship and advanced to the Class 5A semifinals ... Led team with
122 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, 16 quarterback pressures
and five forced fumbles as a junior ... Named second-team All-Gwinnett
County ... Chose Gardner-Webb over The Citadel ... Also considered UAB
and Coastal Carolina.

Courtney Roundtree • 6-1 • 190 • DB • Augusta, Ga. / Laney HS
Played at Laney (Ga.) High under Coach Lemuel Lackey ... Athletic safety
prospect who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds ... Timed as fast as
10.64 in the 100m dash as a track competitor ... A second-team All-Area
choice on defense by the Augusta Chronicle ... An All-Region 3-AA
selection ... Had 84 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions
in 2008 ... Led team to a 7-4 record as a senior ... Had 91 tackles and
three sacks as a junior in 2007 ... Played wide receiver on offense ...
Chose Gardner-Webb over Georgia Southern ... Also recruited by Western
Michigan, Purdue and Clemson.

Austin Sargent • 6-3 • 265 • OL/DL • Ninety Six, S.C. / Ninety Six HS
Played at Ninety Six (S.C.) High under Coach Chris Liner ... A Class 1A
All-State selection by the S.C. High School Sports Report on the
offensive line ... Also a standout long snapper ... Played in the SCADA
North/South All-Star Game ... Had four tackles, two tackles for loss and
sack in that game ... An All-Lakelands selection by the Greenwood
Index-Journal ... One of the state's top two-way lineman ... Graded out at
91 percent and had 37 knockdown blocks on the season ... Played
linebacker and end on defense ... Finished with 74 tackles, 15 tackles
for loss, seven sacks and three fumble recoveries for the Wildcats ...
Also blocked a kick ... Helped team to a 9-3 record and the state
playoffs ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Presbyterian, Charleston Southern,
Coastal Carolina and Pennsylvania ... Also considered Furman and
Appalachian State.

Hudson Smith • 6-1 • 230 • ATH • Aiken, S.C. / Aiken HS
Played at Aiken (S.C.) High under Coach Carey Johnson ... Two-time
All-Region selection ... A standout all over the field ... Runs the 40-yard
dash in 4.7 seconds ... A Class 4A All-State selection by the S.C. High
School Sports Report ... A first-team All-Area selection by the Aiken
Standard and the Augusta Chronicle as a tight end ... Rated the state's
No. 121 senior prospect by the S.C. High School Sports Report ...
Considered the state's No. 2 rated fullback prospect ... Played in the
SCADA North/South All-Star Game ... A second-team All-Area choice by the
Augusta Chronicle as a junior in 2007 ... Chose Gardner-Webb over
Presbyterian and The Citadel ... Also considered Furman and Wofford.

Nick Stone • 6-3 • 245 • DE • Durham, N.C. / Hillside HS
Played at Hillside (N.C.) High under Coach Ray Harrison ... One of the
top defensive prospects to sign with Gardner-Webb in the past 10 years
... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds ... Saw time at end and at
linebacker for Hillside in 2008 ... Team's defensive captain and
defensive MVP ... A first-team All-Area selection by the Durham
Herald-Sun in 2008 ... Selected first-team All-Conference on defense ...
Rated as the nation's No. 151 defensive end prospect in the Class of
2009 by ESPN.com ... The state's fifth-best defensive end prospect
according to ESPN.com ... Helped team to a 12-2-1 record in 2008 and the
Class 4A semifinals ... Led Hillside with 128 tackles, 13 tackles for
loss and six sacks and an interception ... Returned interception 22 yards
for a touchdown for team's lone score in the Class 4A semifinals vs.
Fayetteville (N.C.) Byrd ... Had 52 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and
two sacks as a junior ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Ohio University ... Also
recruited by BCS programs North Carolina, Clemson, Florida, NC State
and Wake Forest.

Defensive tackle Matt Goods (6-3, 275) • Newark, N.J.