MYRTLE BEACH, S.C./SALEM, Va. – Senior wide receiver Jesse Santiago (Yorktown, Va.) and defensive back Justin Banks (Coeburn, Va.) will represent the Emory & Henry College Football Team in the 2018 D3 Senior Classic on December 14 at Doug Shaw Stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at 7 p.m. The game is presented this year by FreeAgentFootball.com and is one of seven events in the International Scouting Showcase series.
Additionally, Santiago will be playing in the HBCU Spirit of America Bowl on Sunday, January 20. This game will take place at Salem Football Stadium which was the home of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (Division III National Championship) from 1993 to 2017.
Santiago was named to the All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Second Team after he posted a team-leading 50 receptions for 796 yards and six touchdowns this season season. The selection made him a three-time all-league pick, as he was an All-ODAC Third-Teamer in 2017 and a second-team choice in 2016. For his career, the Grafton High School graduate had 141 receptions in 29 games for an even 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Santiago's top performance of the year came on Senior Day against Guilford College when he hauled in eight catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns. He also had three scores on eight receptions (126 yards) at Washington and Lee University. Santiago proved his versatility in the Wasps' 52-50 Homecoming win over Shenandoah University when he snagged a pair of interceptions, playing as an additional safety.
Banks was also selected to the All-ODAC Second Team. This is the second year in a row that he has earned all-league honors, being named to the third team in 2017. In three years as a starter in the E&H defensive backfield, Banks totaled 178 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for a loss, three interceptions and nine passes broken up.
This year, Banks finished second on the team with 60 tackles despite missing two games due to injury. He added 4.5 tackles for a loss, picked off a pass, and broke up four others. Banks was crucial in a season opening win at the Crooked Road Classic at Ferrum College that saw him collect a tackle for a loss and a crucial interception. In the season finale against Guilford, Banks made 20 tackles, including 10 solo stops, and recovered a fumble.
The D3 Senior Classic began in 2009 after owners George and Peter St. Lawrence sought to provide more opportunity for small college players to gain exposure to professional scouts. Over eight years, the rosters have been composed of 82 All-Americans and attracts the attention of scouts from the NFL, CFL and AFL among other professional football leagues.
The D3 Classic will be broadcasted live on the www.playCDFL.com website by Prodigy Launch Productions.
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