Elon to retire No. 19 jersey of Terrell Hudgins next weekend

By Elon Sports Information

ELON-- Former Elon Phoenix standout receiver Terrell Hudgins will be honored with the retirement of his jersey prior to Elon’s Oct. 2 game against the Samford Bulldogs announced the Elon Department of Athletics. The ceremony will take place on the field before the scheduled 1:30 p.m. Family Weekend kickoff.

“The retiring of a jersey is one of the highest honors that any athlete can be afforded,” said Director of Athletics Dave Blank. “Here at Elon, this recognition has never been taken lightly, as Terrell will be just the sixth student-athlete in any sport to have his jersey retired. “Terrell had an outstanding football career on the playing field and left an unforgettable impression on our football program, the school and this community. We could not be more excited or proud to announce the retirement of Terrell Hudgins’ No. 19 jersey.”

Hudgins, who will appear on Thursday night’s Elon Football Live radio show from The Fat Frogg in Elon, becomes the fourth football player in the history of the program to have his jersey retired. The others are running back Willie Tart, running back Bobby Hedrick and tight end Richard McGeorge.

“This is an honor that only three other players at Elon have ever had,” said Hudgins. “To have it done the season after I left means a lot to me and I am very grateful for all of the support I received at Elon. There are a lot of people who helped make this possible – my coaches, my teammates and the administration – and I thank them for everything they did to help me.”

Hudgins, a member of the Phoenix football team from 2005-09, graduated as the holder of 19 NCAA, Southern Conference or Elon records. He is the all-time NCAA Division I leader in career receiving yards (5,250), career receptions (395), career 100-yard receiving games (28) and career 1,000-yard receiving seasons (4). Four of the records broke by Hudgins during his illustrious career belonged to the legendary Jerry Rice, including the receiving yards mark which Hudgins surpassed at Western Carolina in 2009.

Hudgins twice led the nation in both receptions per game and receiving yards per game. As a sophomore in 2007, Hudgins averaged 10.6 catches per contest and 134.0 receiving yards per outing. He then averaged 10.3 grabs and 136.1 yards per game as he helped the Phoenix to a 9-3 campaign and the program’s first-ever FCS Playoff appearance in 2009.

In 2009, Hudgins finished second in the voting for the Walter Payton Award that is presented to the top player at the FCS level. He also earned Elon’s Stein H. Basnight Award as the top male athlete at the university in both 2007-08 and 2009-10.

During his four seasons in the maroon and gold, Hudgins collected first-team all-league honors from the SoCon's coaches three times and from the league's media all four years. He was named the SoCon Player of the Week on three occasions and the league's player of the month twice. Hudgins was a three-time first-team member of the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America Team, a two-time AP All-American and a two-time first-team All-America pick by The Sports Network.

Stated Elon football coach Pete Lembo, “It was a pleasure to coach and mentor Terrell for four years. I hold him in the highest regard. He was a great wide receiver, but more importantly he is one of the most genuine and sincere people I have ever been around. He made, and continues to make, a tremendous, positive impact on the university community. Terrell is passionate about football and about Elon – and that was clear every time he stepped on the field. By the time he was a senior, he developed a strong work ethic in practice and became a vocal leader on our 2009 team. His contributions, both in terms of productivity on the field and leadership behind the scenes, were key ingredients to the revitalization of our football program and first-ever trip to the FCS playoffs last year."

To watch a video of Hudgins on his thoughts about his jersey being retired, click here!