Richt named to Senior Bowl Watch List

MARS HILL, N.C.-- Mars Hill senior quarterback Jon Richt has been named to the watch list for the 2013 Senior Bowl.

Richt, the starting quarterback for the Lions, is coming off a season in which he passed for 1,899 yards and 18 TD's while leading MHC to the NCAA Division II Championship playoffs. The Watch List for the Senior Bowl is made up of 309 seniors and NFL Draft prospects from 114 different schools. The top 100 seniors will be invited to participate in the 2013 Senior Bowl on Jan. 26 in Mobile, Ala. Richt is one of 29 players on the Watch List from non-Division I-FBS schools and the only South Atlantic Conference member on the list.

Richt will quarterback the Lions in their season opener next Thursday, Aug. 30 when Mars Hill travels to Cullowhee, N.C. for a matchup with Division I-FCS opponent Western Carolina.

The Senior Bowl is the nation's premier senior showcase event for collegiate football players. The game features the country's best senior collegiate football players and NFL Draft prospects.

"The Senior Bowl is very pleased to announce our first-ever 'official' Watch List," Senior Bowl Executive Director Phil Savage said. "We want both college and pro football fans to enjoy tracking the players on our list as they begin their journey towards the Senior Bowl and the 2013 NFL Draft. We have included prospects from almost every level of the college game and look forward to monitoring their progress throughout the upcoming season."

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) led all conferences with 71 players on the list.

Invitations for the 2013 Senior Bowl will begin being extended in the next few weeks and continue throughout the 2012 season.

Tickets for the 2013 Senior Bowl are currently available for purchase at the Senior Bowl ticket office (151 Dauphin Street), online at www.seniorbowl.com, or by calling (251) 432-4109.