CHICAGO, Ill. – Gardner-Webb rising senior Brian Johnston is one of 27 college football players named to the 2007 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award Preseason Watch List, awarded annually to the top defensive end in college football.

Johnston, a 6-foot-5, 280-pounder, is the only student-athlete from a non-Football Bowl Subdivision program named to the watch list – as players from a host of BCS programs, including preseason All-Americans Calais Campbell (Miami) and Derrick Harvey (Florida), comprise the other spots.

Michigan’s LaMarr Woodley won the award in 2006. Previous award winners include Louisville’s Elvis Dumerville (2005), Georgia’s David Pollack (2003-2004) and Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs (2002).

“Ted Hendricks was a great player during his college and pro career, and it is fitting to have a national award named for him. It is an honor to see one of our young men included for consideration to win this award in 2007,” said GWU head coach Steve Patton. “Brian Johnston has worked hard during his career here, and we feel he has a great chance to continue that career on the next level.”

Gardner-Webb’s Johnston, an All-America choice already this preseason by Street & Smith’s and Lindy’s College Football Preview, is coming off the best season of his college career. The standout pass rusher was dominant at times in 2006 after registering 77 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and a league-best 8.0 quarterback sacks. Johnston also led the Big South with a career-high 23 quarterback pressures, earning Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors along with second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and Weekly Football Gazette.

The San Diego, Calif., native (Madison HS) has led the Big South Conference in sacks each of the past two seasons, and ranks in the league’s career top-10 in both tackles for loss and sacks. He also ranks in the top-10 in Gardner-Webb history in both categories.

In addition to his long list of preseason awards, Johnston has been nominated for the East-West Shrine Game in Palo Alto, Calif., and the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., two of the most recognized postseason showcase games in the nation.

The Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award is named for College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks, a three-time All-America defensive end at the collegiate level at the University of Miami (Fla.).

Nicknamed “The Mad Stork” during his college playing days, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Hendricks’ pro career spanned 15 season and four Super Bowl victories with the Raiders. Hendricks made eight Pro Bowl appearances and was known for his aggressive style of play, winning attitude and determination. He retired following the 1983 season, closing out a 215-game streak of consecutive games played with a Super Bowl win.

Gardner-Webb, coming off a 6-5 season in 2006, welcomes back 19 starters on offense and defense for 2007. The Bulldogs open the season on Sept. 1 at Ohio University. Kickoff is set for 7 pm ET.