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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Wesley and Christy Walls Endow Ole Miss Football Scholarship
6/21/1999 | Football
August 5, 1998
OXFORD, Miss. - Former Ole Miss All-America tight end Wesley Walls of Pontotoc, Miss., and his wife, Christy, have endowed a football scholarship at the University of Mississippi.
The $100,000 gift will be used to provide a football scholarship to any Ole Miss signee from Pontotoc County.
"Wesley Walls is one of our truly outstanding graduates," said Ole Miss Chancellor Robert C. Khayat. "We are proud of him and truly grateful to Wesley and Christy for this generous gift. The scholarship will enable worthy student-athletes from Pontotoc County to follow Wesley's example." "We are excited about the endowed scholarship being given by Wesley and Christy," added Athletic Director John Shafer. "It is a great tribute to this young family to give back to their university. We hope this commitment opens the door for other student-athletes to endow scholarships at Ole Miss. We gratefully thank them for this generous gift."
Walls, a two-time Pro Bowler with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, is beginning his 10th season in the NFL after leading Carolina in receiving the last two years.
"I've received so much from Ole Miss, not only an education and a chance to play college football, but also as a person," Walls said. "I met my wife here and we truly love Ole Miss and her people. This scholarship represents a way to come back and help Pontotoc County. There are a lot of good athletes over there.
"It's also important for guys to come back and give to their university. I hope other Ole Miss pro athletes will look at what we're doing with this scholarship and will follow our efforts to assist in all the good things that are going on here."
At Ole Miss, Walls earned four letters and excelled both on the field and in the classroom. He came to Ole Miss in 1985 as a defensive end, but took on tight end responsibilities his senior campaign when he became one of the nation's few two-way players in 1988.
Following his senior year, Walls was selected first team All-America at tight end by the Associated Press. He was also a first team All-Southeastern Conference pick, was selected Mississippi's Amateur Athlete of the Year, and was chosen as one of three permanent Ole Miss team captains.
Off the field, Walls compiled a 3.41 GPA in General Engineering, earned Academic All-America honors, was a three-time Academic All-SEC pick, was selected Colonel Rebel at Ole Miss, was named to the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame, and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. He was selected as one of 11 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar-Athletes and was chosen to give the response at the awards dinner in New York City.
Following his career at Ole Miss, he was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1989 NFL draft. He saw limited action his first three years with the 49ers before spending the next two years on injured reserve. In 1994, he signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints and emerged as a budding star. He finished second among New Orleans receivers in 1995 when he established a team record for Saints tight ends with 57 catches for 694 yards and four touchdowns. His two-year totals with the Saints included 95 receptions for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns.
Walls joined Carolina as an unrestricted free agent in 1996 and became an instant fan favorite of Panther fans. He had 61 receptions for 713 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season and compiled 58 catches for 746 yards and six touchdowns last year. He recently signed a contract extension through 2001.
"This gift sends a very strong signal to our current and former professional athletes that somebody needed to take the lead," said Executive Director of the Loyalty Foundation George Smith. "Wesley has done this. It is our goal to one day have all athletic scholarships endowed at the University of Mississippi."
