The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Metcalf to be inducted into Southwest Conference Hall of Fame
02.05.2015 | Football, Track & Field / Cross Country
Former Longhorn is one of nine in the 2015 class, which will be honored March 30 in Austin
WACO, Texas - Eric Metcalf, one of the all-time greats in Texas Athletics history, is being inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame (TSHOF), which sponsors the SWC Hall of Fame, announced its 2015 nine-member class Thursday. Metcalf, who starred on both the football and track and field teams from 1985-88, will be joined by Bill Montgomery (Arkansas), Cotton Davidson (Baylor), Carol Lewis (Houston), Jose Cruz Jr. (Rice), Rick Herrscher (SMU), Curtis Mills (Texas A&M), Lance Brown (TCU) and Dan Irons (Texas Tech) for the induction, which is set for March 30 at the Hilton Hotel in Austin.
Metcalf was a three-time All-Southwest Conference selection at running back and the league's player of the year, as well as a second-team All-American, as a junior in 1987. He posted a then school-record 1,921 all-purpose yards that season and ended his career with 5,705, which was the most in Longhorn history at the time and still ranks fourth. He also holds the school record for career punt return yards (1,076).
A native of Arlington, Virginia, Metcalf was a four-time All-American on the track and field team. He claimed a pair of NCAA long jump titles (1986, '88) and still holds the school record in the event with a clearance of 27 feet, 8 1/4 inches (8.44m) at the 1988 TAC Championships.
Metcalf went on to have very productive NFL career. A first-round selection of the Cleveland Browns in the 1989 NFL Draft, he played 13 seasons in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection. His 10 career punt returns for touchdowns rank second in NFL history, and he is 14th in career all-purpose yards (17,230).
Metcalf now lives in Seattle, Washington, where he runs the Seatown Express Track Club and serves as a volunteer assistant track and field coach at the University of Washington.
For tickets to the event, visit the TSHOF website.