LITTLE ROCK — Super Bowl champion and four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning with be the keynote speaker at the first All-Arkansas Preps awards banquet, which will be held June 1.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, in partnership with St. Vincent Hospital, Metropolitan National Bank and Arkansas Select Buick GMC Dealers, made the announcement in a Tuesday morning news conference at D1 Sports Performance.
Former NFL All-Pro tight end Keith Jackson will emcee the banquet. Jackson attended news conference, along with American League Cy Young Award winner and Benton native Cliff Lee. Lee is currently with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The banquet will honor athletes and coaches from an array of sports around the state. Several of the predetermined honorees were on hand for the announcement, including Conway girls' golf coach Janet Taylor; outstanding girls golfer and Conway player Summar Roachell; and outstanding boys golfer Landon Hearns, who hails from Central Arkansas Christian. Pulaski Academy's Julio Olaya, outstanding boys tennis player, was also at the event.
The remaining outstanding coaches and athletes who will be honored are Mary Wright of Hot Springs Lakeside for outstanding tennis player, Shawny Green, also of Lakeside, for outstanding tennis coach. In football, Greenwood had a pair of winners in Rick Jones (outstanding coach) and Drew Morgan (outstanding player).
The event will be held at the Wally Allen Ballroom at the Statehouse Convention Center.