September 17, 2003

FURMAN¹S WATSON ONE OF FOUR NATIONAL
HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman freshman football player Joe Watson has been selected as a 2003 National High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall-of-Fame, it was announced today.

Watson, a native of Greeneville, Tenn., where he was an all-county, all-region, and all-state pick as a wide receiver at Greeneville High School, was one of only four national scholar-athletes selected from more than 3,000 nominees submitted by the 119 chapters of the National Football Foundation and College Hall-of-Fame.

"Year after year we are proud to recognize the nation's top high school scholar-athletes," said NFF chairman Jon F. Hanson. "These four young men represent the perfect balance of leadership, academic excellence, and athletic prowess. They are quite worthy of this prestigious distinction."

Ceremonies to honor Watson and the other scholar-athletes will take place at the NFF's annual awards luncheon on Dec. 9 at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City.

Watson ranked No. 1 in his class of 195 students and never missed a day of school during his four years of high school.