Jan. 4, 2006

LIBERTY, MO - Winston-Salem State University senior football player Martin Hicks (Oxford, NC/JF Webb H.S.) was named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette Third-Team Offense on Wednesday morning as announced by Paul Smith, the chair of the Football Gazette Southeast Region.

Hicks, a 5'9", 180-pound standout at running back for the Rams led WSSU in rushing in 2003, 2004, and 2005 en route to capturing 2005 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year honors as he led the Rams to 6-4 record, one game short of a CIAA title-game berth.

Hicks finished his WSSU football career eighth in career rushing attempts with 480 while placing third on the WSSU all-time rushing chart behind NFL All-Pros Richard Huntley and Timmy Newsome with 3,386 yards en route to WSSU's all-time mark in yards per carry of 7.05 ypc, better than Richard Huntley's 6.85 ypc.

He ranks third all-time in scoring at WSSU with 262 points scored as he turned in the fourth and fifth best single-season rushing touchdowns mark with 15 and 14 in 2004 and 2005 respectively.  Hicks led the Rams in scoring in 2003 and 2005 and holds the WSSU all-time record for longest kick return as he took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown versus North Carolina Central in 2002, a game in which he also had a 51-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Hicks' excellent statistics and his contribution to the overall success of the WSSU football team helped him to earn a 2006 Whataburger Cactus Bowl selection and D2Football.com honors as well as Don Hansen's Football Gazett honors for the second consecutive year.

Hoping to extend his football career beyond the collegiate ranks, Hicks will work out for several NFL teams in the off-season following his January 6, 2006 appearance in the Cactus Bowl.

For additional information on WSSU football or Martin Hicks, contact the WSSU Office of Sports Information at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at www.WSSURAMS.com

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