Jan. 11, 2010

Cullowhee, N.C. - Former Western Carolina Catamount football standout, and 2008 inductee into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame, Brad Hoover has been selected as the inaugural winner of the Tom Berry Good Guy Award, given to the player who is most cooperative with the Panthers media during the course of the season.

The award is named for Berry, a long-time, award-winning columnist and Panthers beat writer for the High Point Enterprise who passed away back on August 30, 2009. Berry also worked for the Thomasville Times and the Durham Sun newspapers covering sports in North Carolina and the Southeast.

The Good Guy Award had been given by the Carolina chapter of the PFWA in the past, and previous winners include Mike Minter and Brentson Buckner. It was named in honor of Berry this year.

"Brad Hoover is the absolute perfect selection for this award," said Pat Yasinskas, the NFC South representative for the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA). "First off, Brad symbolizes everything Tom Barry stood for. He's always been courteous and polite with the media and a true gentleman. Plus, Brad and Tom had a special connection that makes this selection even more meaningful on many levels."

As a Catamount, Hoover rushed for 3,616 career yards, the second-most in WCU school history which included a single-season record 1,663 yards in 1998. His 251 rushing yards and then-Southern Conference record-tying five touchdowns against VMI in '98 also stand as school benchmarks. That same season, the Thomasville, N.C., native keyed an upset of arch-rival Appalachian State with 195 rushing yards on a school-record 49 carries.

"Hoov," as he was affectionately known, was a two-time All-SoCon selection, led his teams in rushing for three seasons and is listed in WCU's all-time top 10 in game, season and career rushing yards as well as game, season and career scoring.

Hoover, who grew up in Thomasville which is part of the High Point Enterprise's coverage area, signed as a free agent with the Carolina Panthers in 2000 and through gritty play on special teams, hard-nosed blocking as a full back and a "team-first" attitude, he has stuck with the team ever since. He has played in 152 career games for the Panthers - among the all-time most for the Charlotte-based team - and ranks ninth in the franchise's record books with 961 career rushing yards.

This season, Hoover rushed 20 times for 52 yards and a touchdown - including 17 carries for 48 yards coming in the final three games of the regular season - while also hauling in four passes for 23 yards and a receiving touchdown out of the backfield in a rout of NFC North Champion, Minnesota.

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