2013 National Signing Day for Harding Bisons

Courtesy Harding University Athletics Department

It’s National Signing Day! Beginning today, Feb. 6, high school student-athletes can sign a National Letter of Intent, a contract stating where they will attend school in the fall. This signing period is for football, soccer, cross country and track and field. Check back often as new players are updated on the list.

Austin Balbin, 6-3, 220, FR, DE, D’Evelyn HS ,Littleton, Colo.

Holds the Colorado state record for sacks with 38 … had 20 sacks as a junior and 12 as a senior … 2012 American Family Insurance All-Colorado Football Team … 2012 Colorado community media All-Star Video

Logan Best, 5-11, 175, FR, RB, McCrory HS, McCrory, Ark.

Rushed for 6,176 yards and 72 TD in his high school career … rushed for 3,001 yards as a senior, third-most in Arkansas … rushed for seven TD in one game … rushed for 427 yards in one game … 2012 Farm Bureau Offensive Player of the Year Finalist … two-time All-State … three-time All-Conference … selected to play in the Arkansas High School All-Star Game … National Honor Society … class president … represented McCrory High School at 2012 Arkansas Boys State. Video

Trevon Biglow, 6-2, 240, FR, DE, Putnam City HS, Putnam City, Okla.

Team captain … team chaplain … 1st Team All-District 6A-1 … 1st Team All-Metro Athletic Conference defensive end … 67 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks as a senior … three-year starter … 435-pound bench press … coached by John Woffard. Video

Trence Blevins, 6-0, 175, FR, DB, Sheffield HS, Memphis, Tenn.

57 tackles and led the city of Memphis with nine interceptions … 19 receptions for 428 yards … honor roll … selected to play in the Auto Zone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game … coached by Lashawn Lester. Video

Darius Bowman, 5-11, 175, FR, WR/DB, Searcy HS, Searcy, Ark.

Two-time 1st Team All-Conference … team captain … 67 tackles, six interceptions and seven pass breakups … averaged 14.0 yards per punt return … returned one kickoff for a touchdown … had 27 receptions and seven TD … coached by Tim Harper. Video

Andre Brackens, 5-10, 220, SR, RB, Rice University

Four-year starter for Coach Scott Nady at Parish Episcopal in Dallas … two-time All-State … District MVP as a senior after scoring 26 TD and intercepting eight passes … scored 72 TD over four varsity seasons. Video

Andrew Dather, 6-1, 180, FR, WR, Conway Christian, Conway, Ark.

Three-time All-Conference … two-time Farm Bureau Watch List … 2012 Hooten’s All-State … coached by Michael Carter.

Gavin De Los Santos, 6-4, 300, DL/OL, Lake Hamilton HS, Pearcy, Ark.

Three-time All-Garland County … two-time All-Conference … Hooten’s 1st Team defensive lineman in 2011 … 2012 All-State … invited to play in the Arkansas High School All-Star Game … member of FCA and Beta Club … coached by Jerry Clay.

Clayton Fields, 6-2, 285, OL, Carlisle HS, Carlisle, Ark.

1st Team All-Conference in Arkansas 6-2A … named the conference’s outstanding lineman … invited to play in the Arkansas High School All-Star Game … coached by Scott Waymire.

Zach Gerbholz, 6-3, 275, FR, OL/DL, Greenbrier HS, Greenbrier, Ark.

Three-year starter … started at left tackle … All-Conference as a senior … earned the Panther Award as a senior … father, Gordon, played linebacker at Harding … coached by Randy Tribble.

Eric Gooden, 6-1, 230, FR, DE, Boling HS, Boling, Texas

1st Team All-District … 360-pound bench press … 600-pound squat … 4.6 40-yard dash … three-year football letterman and two-year track letterman … second in the region and a national qualifier in the high school javelin … 87 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks … rushed for 700 yards and 11 TD … three-time All-District defensive end … volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club. Video

Michael Gragg, 6-1, 230, OL, Goodpasture Christian HS, Madison, Tenn.

Two-year starter on the offensive and defensive lines … All-District 9AA defensive lineman in 2012 … co-captain as a senior … National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete … coached by David Martin.

Brian Griffith, 5-10, 180, FR, RB, Greene County Tech, Paragould, Ark.

Two-time 2nd Team All-Conference … rushed for 377 yards on 86 carries and had 16 receptions for 109 yards as a senior … had 24 tackles … member of FCA … member of the school-record holding 4×100-meter relay team … coached by Jeff Conway.

Jerical Hardeman, 6-3, 245, FR, DL, New Boston HS, New Boston, Texas

Two-time 1st Team All-District … 2nd Team All-District basketball player … coached by Rick Barker.

Ernest Hendrix, 6-2, 250, FR, DL/OL, Athens HS, Athens, Ala.

61 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks in 2012 … team captain … three-year starter … 1st Team All-County … student council … 330-pound bench press … 4.8 40-yard dash.

Reed Jones, 6-0, 170, FR, DB, Wimberly HS, Wimberly, Texas

Two-time 1st Team All-District quarterback and defensive back … two-time 1st Team Academic All-District … played for Wimberly’s 2011 3A state championship team … had 95 tackles and four interceptions as a junior … coached by Weldon Nelms.

Alapeti Magalei, 5-10, 220, JR, RB, Mt. San Antonio College

Voted Mt. SAC outstanding running back in 2011 … 2nd Team SCFA All-Southern Conference … prepped at Kahuku (Hawaii) High School. Video

Daylon Markham, 5-10, 185, FR, DB, McKinney Boyd HS, McKinney, Texas

Two-time 1st Team All-District 10-5A … 1st Team All-Collin County … 123 tackles and three interceptions as a senior … coached by Don Drake.

Matthew Markham, 5-11, 200, FR, QB, Columbia (Tenn.) Central HS

Three-year starter … 29-5 record as a starter … 2012 Class 5A state runner-up … 2010 Class 5A state champion … two-time All-State … two-time District Offensive Player of the Year … holds school records for passing yards (6,323), completions (325) and passing touchdowns (51) … completed 153-of-239 passes as a senior for 2,589 yards and 18 TD … rushed for 459 yards and seven TD … senior class president … FCA president … Mr. Columbia Central High School … coached by Howard Stone.

Jordan Noyes, 6-1, 210, FR, LB, Parkway South HS, Manchester, Mo.

Three-time All-Conference … named All-Metro by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch … conference Defensive Player of the Year … team captain … 2nd Team All-State … 146 tackles, 4.0 sacks and three interceptions … three-year National Honor Society.

Video

Desmond Owens, 6-2, 280, FR, OL, Columbia Central HS, Columbia, Tenn.

Three-year starter on the offensive and defensive lines … two-time 1st Team All-Conference … Columbia Central won the 5A state championship in 2010 and the 5A runner-up in 2012 … coached by Howard Stone.

Clayton Pankey, 5-8, 160, FR, DB, Ft. Smith Southside HS, Ft. Smith, Ark.

Two-time 1st Team All-7A West as a defensive back … 2012 Times Record All-Area … also played basketball … member of the National Honor Society, National Business Honor Society, FBLA, Mu Alpha Theta … president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Arkansas scholar … coached by his uncle Jeff Williams and grandson of Arkansas high school football coaching legend Dave Williams of Pocahontas.

Lane Rodgers, 6-4, 200, FR, WR, Northland Christian, Katy, Texas

Lone Star Christian Sports Network All-Star … Academic All-District … member of the Leadership Council … member of FCA … his father, Lance, was an All-America defensive back at Harding. Video

Zach Shelley, 5-9, 180, FR, RB, Parish Episopal, Dallas, Texas

Rushed for 7,642 yards and had 108 touchdowns in his HS career … four time First Team All-State … unanimous league MVP … two year captain

Carson Strickler, 6-1, 180, FR, DB, Katy HS, Katy, Texas

Two-time 1st Team Academic All-District … honorable mention All-District … helped lead Katy to a 16-0 record and 5A Division II state championship in 2012 … Katy was ranked #2 in the USA Today national high school rankings … 53 tackles as a senior … coached by Gary Joseph.

Colby Webb, 6-0, 200, FR, RB/WR, Ouachita Christian School, Monroe, La.

1st Team All-District … District Co-Offensive MVP … 1st Team All-State … Class A State Offensive MVP … honorable mention All-State at wide receiver … 1st Team All-Northeast Louisiana … led Ouachita Christian to a 30-0 record and two state championships in the last two seasons … 1st Team Academic All-State … coached by former Bison Steven Fitzhugh.

Christian Witt, 6-2, 185, FR, DB, Nixa HS, Nixa, Mo.

114 tackles, seven interceptions as a senior … 1st Team All-District … 1st Team All-Area … 2nd Team All-Conference … member of the Athletic Leadership Council … active in the Union Hill church of Christ youth group … coached by Richard Rehagen.

Kyle White, 6-2, 180, FR, WR/RB/CB, Macon-East Academy, Montgomery, Ala.

2012 rushed for 1,935 yards and had 28 touchdowns … First Team All-State … also plays basketball

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Averie Albright, 5-2, M, Searcy HS, Searcy, Ark.

Three-time All-State … played on Searcy’s 2010 state championship team and 2012 state runner-up team.

Anna-Grace Kirkman, 5-3, M, Harding Academy, Searcy, Ark.

Played two seasons at Greenwood Lab School in Springfield, Mo. … earned All-Conference, All-District … lead the team in assists as a sophomore … played last two seasons for Arkansas Rush club team … Arkansas Class 3A State Doubles Champion in tennis … ran track and played golf … National Honors Society and Beta Club

Mary-Margaret Kirkman, 5-4, F/M, Harding Academy, Searcy, Ark.

Played two seasons at Greenwood Lab School in Springfield, Mo. … earned All-Conference, All-District … lead the team in goals with 26 as a sophomore … played last two seasons for Arkansas Rush club team … Arkansas Class 3A State Doubles Champion in tennis … ran track and played golf … National Honors Society and Beta Club

McKenna Smith, 5-6, F/M, Searcy HS, Searcy, Ark.

Two-time All-State … three-time All-Conference … played on Searcy’s 2010 state championship team and 2012 state runner-up team.

Melita Sutherland, 5-5, D, Villa Park HS, Villa Park, Calif.

Top Scholar … 1st Team Century League.

Hannah Wilhelm, 5-7, D, Greenville Christian School, Greenville, Texas

Plays club soccer from Solar Royals ’95 … missed the 2012 soccer season with a knee injury … National Honor Society … also plays volleyball, basketball, and softball.