HCC sophomore Jasper Simmons was one of 13 Blue Dragons to sign letters of intent with four-year schools on National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Andrew Carpenter/HCC Sports Information

13 BLUE DRAGONS SIGN

WITH FOUR-YEAR FOOTBALL PROGRAMS

By Steve Carpenter

HCC Sports Information Director

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

The final stories of the 2008 Hutchinson Community College football began to be told on Wednesday as 13 Blue Dragon players signed with four-year schools on college football’s National Letter of Intent Day.

Seven of the 13 Blue Dragons signed with FBS (Division I) teams. Six other signed with NCAA Division II or NAIA programs.

“It’s pretty exciting to see these guys rewarded for all of their hard work, on the field and in the classroom,” HCC head coach Rion Rhoades said. “We really tried to give them good guidance. We don’t tell them where to go, but we want to give them good guidance for long-term success for them.”

RELEASE

HCC sophomore defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw was named NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.

Andrew Carpenter/HCC Sports Information

HCC'S EUGENE KINLAW IS NJCAA NATIONAL

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

By Steve Carpenter

HCC Sports Information Director

Monday, December 15, 2008

Turning in one of the most dominant seasons ever by a Hutchinson Community College football player, sophomore defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw was named the NJCAA National Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.

Kinlaw is the first HCC football player to earn National Player of the Year honors.

“It feels really nice. I wasn’t expecting this,” Kinlaw said. “We had a really great year.”

Monday’s award is the latest for Kinlaw, who also garnered first-team all-Jayhawk Conference and league Defensive Player of the Year awards as well as first-team NJCAA and JC Grid-Wire first-team All-America honors.

RELEASE

EUGENE KINLAW PHOTO GALLERY