Alabama State Sports Alumni Watkins and Robinson to be honored

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Alumni Association will honor several alumni from all over the conference at its annual Legends Roast and Awards Dinner.

The event will take place November 29 at the Doubletree Hotel by Hilton in Birmingham (Ala.), with Birmingham Iron executive Jay Roberson, a former member of the Birmingham City Council, serving as the guest of honor.

Larry Watkins, who was elected to the SWAC Hall of Fame earlier this month, will also be honored at the SWAC Alumni event as he will receive the Charles "Chuck" Prophet Memorial Award. The award honors the memory of Chuck Prophet, the iconic Sports Information Director and Director of Athletics at Mississippi Valley State University. The award goes to an employee of a SWAC member institution who best exemplifies Prophet's spirit, dedication and loyalty to his school and the conference.

Watkins currently serves as a Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics, and teacher at Alabama State University in the physical education department. He has been a fixture at Alabama State for 47 years, serving as the head baseball coach for 20 seasons before retiring in 2011 with 513 victories, making him the all-time leader in wins. Prior to that, he was an assistant baseball coach for eight seasons after playing centerfield for the Hornets for years during his collegiate career.

Former Alabama State linebacker Eddie Robinson, along with former Jackson State golf coach and running back Eddie Payton, former Alcorn State baseball coach Willie "Rat" McGowan and SWAC Public Relations Director and Compliance Officer Russell Stockard will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contributions to the conference's tradition of excellence.

Robinson was an All-American and All-SWAC linebacker at Alabama State, and he was the 1991 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. He also received the Toyota Leadership Award his senior season. The Houston Oilers' second-round pick and the 50th player chosen in the 1992 NFL Draft, Robinson had an 11-year professional career with Oilers, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. He was the Titans' Unsung Hero in 2001 and appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans in 2000.

Tickets are $75 each, with proceeds going to the SWAC Al
umni Degree Completion Scholarship Fund.

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