Eric Brown Earns SEC Post-Graduate Scholarship; Finalist for Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of Year

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Eric Brown, a senior All-American on Arkansas’ defending national champion outdoor track and field team, has earned a post-graduate scholarship from the Southeastern Conference and is a finalist for the 2005-06 Boyd McWhorter SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, the league has announced.

Twenty-four student-athletes, one male and one female from each SEC institution, have been chosen as recipients of the post-graduate scholarships. Each finalist for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award receives a $5,000 scholarship for post-graduate studies. The SEC Faculty Athletics Representatives Boyd McWhorter Selection Committee will choose the outstanding male and female student-athlete and each will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship, provided by the ALLTEL Corporation.

Brown, who was named the team’s 2005 Most Outstanding Field Athlete, is a two-time All-American in the javelin. He earned All-America honors last season after finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships with a toss of 232-02, helping the Razorbacks win their 12th NCAA outdoor championship in outdoor track and field and the 41st overall under head coach John McDonnell in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field. This year’s indoor national title gives the program 42 NCAA titles.

Brown also won the 2005 NCAA Mideast Regional title with a mark of 230-11. The Baldwin, Kan., native became the first Razorback to win the javelin at the Penn Relays (233-05) after earlier setting the school record with a toss of 248-05. Brown finished second in the SEC meet (228-11) and at the Mt. SAC Relays (237-11).

In 2004, he earned All-America honors after finishing third in the NCAA meet with what was then a school-record toss of 246-03. He was also second in the SEC meet (234-07) and third at the NCAA Mideast Regional (212-02) after earlier becoming the first Razorback to win the Texas Relays (235-06).

Two years ago, he was 19th in the U.S. Olympic Trials and won the North America Central America Caribbean (NACAC) Track and Field Championships with a meet record throw of 239-10.5.

Last year, he finished 12th (220-10) at the USA Championships.

The SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards were first presented in 1986. The award was renamed the H. Boyd McWhorter SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in May 1990 to honor the former commissioner who served the conference from 1972-86.

The award will be presented to the two winners in May at the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla.