ORANGEBURG, SC – Two South Carolina State gridiron standouts – former All-American Donnie Shell and current All-American Javon Hargrave – will be honored Saturday during the Black College Football Hall of Fame and Sheridan Broadcasting Network College Football Awards Ceremony at the new home of the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA.

Shell, who earned All-MEAC and All-America honors during his Bulldog career (1970-73) and went on to an outstanding NFL career as a safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be among seven inductees into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

The 2015 Class also includes DT Roger Brown (Maryland Eastern Shore), DE Richard Dent (Tennessee State), DE L.C. Greenwood (Arkansas Pine Bluff), DT Ernie Ladd (Grambling State), DB Ken Riley (Florida A&M) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State).

Hargrave, who is completing his junior year at SC State, will be recognized as the Sheridan Broadcasting Network's Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year. SBN will also recognize the Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year (QB Johns Gibbs Jr., Alcorn State), the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (Broderick Fobbs, Grambling) and the Jake Gaither National Championship Team (Alcorn State) during the ceremony.

DONNIE SHELL, SC STATE
Donnie Shell, a Whitmire, SC native, was a standout defensive back and linebacker at South Carolina State during his collegiate career – 1970-73. As a senior, he was the dominant player at his position in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, earning All-MEAC honors. He was also named to the Associated Press and Pittsburgh Courier All-America teams.

At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Shell signed a free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League in 1974. During an illustrious career with the Steelers, which spanned 13 seasons (1974-1987), he started eleven seasons, earned All-Pro five times and helped Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl Championships.

He was selected to the Steelers' All-Time Team and NFL Silver Anniversary Super Bowl Team. He played in more than 200 games as a Steeler and made 51 interceptions, making him – at the time -- the only strong safety in NFL history to record 40 or more interceptions.

Following his pro playing career, he worked for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL as Director of Player Development from 1994 to 2009 and later at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC.

Shell has been named to the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century and the Sheridan Broadcasting (SBN) Black College 100-Year Anniversary squad. He is a member of the Division II Football Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame.

He is also a member of the SC State University Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, the SC Football Hall of Fame and the MEAC Hall of Fame.

He has been honored by his alma mater as a Distinguished Alumnus and was named to the school's Centennial (1907-2007) football team in 2007.
Today, Shell and his family reside in Rock Hill, SC.

JAVON HARGRAVE, SC STATE
Javon Hargrave, a Salisbury, NC native, became one of the most decorated athletes in South Carolina State athletic history for his performance during the 2014 Bulldog football season.

In addition to being named a Sheridan Broadcasting Network All-American and the group's Defensive Player of the Year, Hargrave was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and was named to several All-America teams, including The Sports Network, Walter Camp, BoxtoRow and Heritage Radio Sports Network.

In addition, he was honored by College Football Performance Awards with its National Defensive Tackle of the Year Award.

Hargrave led the MEAC and ranked third in the nation in sacks with 16. He was fourth in the NCAA in tackles for loss with 23.5 and totaled 55 tackles, three forced fumbles, eight quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.
 
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