Football Ryan Shumaker
Former Eastern New Mexico standout Michael Walton has been announced as a 2020 Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor inductee, league officials announced on Tuesday.
Walton solidified himself as the best inside linebacker in Eastern New Mexico football history from 1996-99, finishing his career as the school’s all-time leading tackler with 515 total tackles. Walton joins Texas A&M University-Commerce’s Britney Jordan as the class of 2020 inductees and is the third individual associated with Eastern New Mexico University to be inducted into the LSC Hall of Honor, joining administrator B.B. Lees and multi-sport athlete Jennifer Goble Poyer.
Walton was the defensive leader for a Greyhound squad that captured the 1999 LSC South Conference title and was named the school’s Greatest Greyhound on three separate occasions (1997, 1998, 1999) during his illustrious career. He was named to 12 different All-American teams in his four years on the gridiron, and was named the 1998 LSC South Division Defensive Lineman of the Year.
A native of Earth, Texas, Walton still holds multiple records in the Eastern New Mexico football history books, including the single season tackles record with 155 stops in 1997. He ranks second in school history with 220 tackles for a loss and posted a school record 24.0 tackles for a loss during the 1998 season.
As impressive as his play on the field was, Walton was also recognized as an academic standout as well. He was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Academic team three different occasions and also garnered GTE Academic All-District First Team honors as a senior.
Following his Greyhound career Walton has gone on to a successful coaching career that has spanned 15 years and seven different institutions, including two successful stints at Eastern New Mexico, including the Defensive Coordinator position in 2018 and 2019. Walton most recently accepted the position as Special Teams Coordinator at Tarleton State.
Walton will receive the LSC’s signature Hall of Honor award, a 15-inch custom-sculpted eagle figurine mounted on a cherry wood base. He along with Jordan are to be presented this fall.