MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department announced Nat Grubbs as the 21st recipient of the Spirit Award, presented annually at the Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet.
Introduced in 2006, the UAM Spirit Award is presented to individuals who demonstrate exceptional support and unwavering dedication to the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s athletic programs. This honor recognizes those who go above and beyond for our student-athletes, teams, and department. The recipient embodies the heart and soul of UAM Athletics – through every win, every loss, every rain delay, and every nail-biting moment, they are there. They truly bleed green and white.
Grubbs, a longtime fan of UAM Athletics programs, has provided physical therapy care to Boll Weevil and Blossom athletes for years at South Arkansas Rehabilitation. He and his team have made an incredible impact on the athletics department, helping rehabilitate numerous student-athletes to get them back on the field and back in competitive shape.
“Nat Grubbs is another great representation of our spirit award here at UAM,” said UAM Athletic Director Hud Jackson. “He has always been strongly involved in the health and wellness of our student-athletes. Nat is a true professional who is very detailed and meticulous in his job. And because of that, when we have student-athletes that are recovering from an injury or surgery, he’s able to get them back quicker because he’s really good at what he does. More important to me is that he’s a tremendous friend to this university, a huge supporter of our athletic department, and I personally am grateful to call him somebody that I can lean on when I need answers about athletes and personally about life in general. We’re really excited to be able to name Nat Grubbs, our Spirit Award winner for the 2026-2027year.”
Grubbs has made a tremendous impact on UAM student-athletes, and the UAM Athletics Department is honored to present him with this year’s Spirit Award.
Grubbs will receive the Spirit Award on October 8 at 6:00 p.m. during the 2026 Hall of Fame Banquet held in the University Center Green Room.
Previous UAM Athletics Hall of Fame Spirit Award Recipients
2025 – Jimmy Sledge
2024 – Shellye Byrd2023 – Larry and Shirley Fisackerly
2022 – Jeremy Woodall
2021 – Tim and Roxanne Smith
2020 – Gay and Grant Pace
2019 – Jim Brewer
2018 – Tommy Maxwell
2017 – Becky and Keith Phillips
2016 – Larry Smith
2015 – Walter Godwin
2014 – Gene Norton
2013 – Robert Leonard
2012 – George Harris
2011 – Buddy Carson
2010 – Charlie Baker
2009 – Katy and Don Hartley
2008 – Reginald Glover
2007 – Tommy Matthews
2006 – Bob Newman
#WeevilNation | #BlossomNation
Article published with permission of UAM Athletics.
