Los Angeles, Calif.----Wingate University All-American punter Ethan Evans made history Saturday night, becoming just the second player in Wingate football history to be selected in the NFL draft. The Bulldog punter was drafted in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday evening. He joins David Jones as Wingate players taken in the NFL draft. The cornerback was taken in the fifth round of the 2007 draft by the New Orleans Saints.

"There is nobody more deserving of this than Ethan Evans," Wingate head coach and interim Director of Athletics Joe Reich says. "He has great natural gifts, but they are nothing compared to his work ethic and desire to be the best he can be."

Evans was one of just three punters taken in the 2023 NFL draft, joining Bryce Baringer from Michigan State and Brad Robbins from Michigan, who were both take in the sixth round on Saturday. Evans was the first Division II player drafted in 2023.

Evans capped his illustrious Wingate career with a huge senior season. He earned first team All-American honors from the Associated Press and the D2CAA, while also picking up first team All-SAC and All-Region accolades. Evans was named the D2Football.com National Special Teams Player of the Week twice during the 2022 season.

Evans helped lead the Bulldogs to a historic season, winning a program-record 11 games while also advancing to the NCAA D2 national quarterfinals for the first time in program history. He earned invitations to play in the Shrine Bowl and the Hula Bowl.

Evans finished second in the nation with a 45.7 average on 77 punts. He put 39 of those 77 punts inside the 20, with 30 of them going for at least 50 yards. He added 44 touchbacks on 67 kickoffs, converted 43-of-44 PATs and connected on 10 field goals including two of over 40 yards. Evans and the Bulldogs ranked fourth nationally in net punting in 2022.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 38 undergraduate majors as well as seven master's and four doctoral degrees. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; the Thayer School of Education; and the School of Sport Sciences. 
 
Wingate is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 14 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.