South Fulton Today

The Atlantic Coast Conference has named three student athletes who broke racial barriers at Georgia Tech as recipients of the first ACC UNITE Award, the college announced in a press release.

The athletes are Harvey Webb, Eddie McAshan and Jan Hilliard.

"The ACC UNITE Award was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice," Georgia Tech said in the release. "An initiative of the ACC’s Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE – Champions of Racial Equity), the award was developed and approved by the ACC’s 15 members institutions."

Webb was the first African-American member of the men’s basketball program, the release said. The Atlanta native and Harper High School graduate was a member of 1967 freshman team that defeated rival University of Georgia on Dec. 7 of that year, according to the release.

McAshan was the first African-American to play in a varsity game at Georgia Tech and to receive an athletic scholarship and second African-American to start as quarterback for a major college football program in the Southeast, the college said. 

"McAshan threw for 4,080 yards and 32 touchdowns in 36 career starts for the Yellow Jackets," the college said. "He broke 17 school records and still ranks among Georgia Tech’s all-time leaders in passing yards (eighth), touchdown passes (sixth) and completions (360 – sixth)."

In 1972, he threw five touchdown passes in a game against Rice, tying a record for the most in a single-game in Georgia Tech's history. 

Hilliard (formerly Chandler) was on Georgia Tech's woman basketball team, arriving in 1975.

The following season, the team had a 19-8 record and the first two postseason wins, the college said.