Rocky Mount's Harrison Inks with Braves

- RM's Nick Harrison
(photo - David Hahula)

Rocky Mount senior Nick Harrison was one of many across the country who signed their National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to play football at the next level.


Harrison was joined by three other Gryphons as he signed with the University of Noth Carolina at Pembroke on Wednesday in the Rocky Mount High School library. He will be joined by 30 other student-athletes in Pembroke next fall, as part of the University's largest recruiting class to date.


Harrison recorded 57 tackles his senior season to go along with a deflected pass and a blocked field goal attempt. He also led the team with seven blocks and three fumble recoveries. He was part of a group of seniors who accumulated a 27-3 record over the past two seasons, and has been clocked at a quick 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash.


UNC-Pembroke ended the season with a 9-1 record in only their second year of play. The defense allowed only 11.2 points per game, tops in the nation among Division II schools. That same defense will return all its starters, as well as adding 14 new defensive players (12 freshman, 2 transfers) next season.


There are currently no other former Rocky Mount football players on UNC-Pembroke's roster, although there are four former football players enrolled in school. The UNC-P men's track-and-field team includes 2006 RM grad Greg Byrd, a 200- and 400-meter runner, and Charles Penny, a jump specialist and 2008 RM grad.


Rocky Mount head coach B.W. Holt is also a graduate of the school, which was called Pembroke State while he attended.


- RM head coach B.W. Holt
(photo - David Hahula)

Information from this story was taken from both rockymounthigh.ihigh.com (Charles Alston) and UNC-Pembroke's athletic site, uncpbraves.com.