SpectacUALR 2019 to Honor Lee and Greg Hatcher

LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock Athletics is excited to announce Lee and Greg Hatcher as the honorees for the 11th annual SpectacUALR event benefiting Little Rock Athletics on Thursday, September 26 at the Jack Stephens Center.

"We are thrilled to have this opportunity to honor Lee and Greg for everything they have done for Little Rock Athletics and the opportunity they provided to us with the addition of our wrestling program," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. "They are also terrific ambassadors for youth sports across Arkansas and we are thankful to have them as part of the Little Rock Trojan family."

Greg is the cornerstone to bringing Division I Wrestling to Little Rock and the state of Arkansas, providing the funding for the Greg Hatcher Wrestling Center and the operational expenditures involved with adding a Division I sport. Once completed, the home of the Trojan wrestling program will be over 18,000 square feet and feature four wrestling mats, making it one of the largest collegiate venues in the country. Coaches' offices, locker rooms, a player's lounge, training room and a weight room will all be housed inside the facility.

Greg, considered the "Father of Arkansas Wrestling", founded The Arkansas Wrestling Association (AWA) and has purchased mats for 65 high schools and 14 colleges to help get new programs started at each school. Thanks to his generous support, Arkansas is the only state that has a Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, JUCO and a women's wrestling program in the country.

Greg attended Alma College in Alma, Michigan, where he competed in soccer, wrestling and baseball. He has been inducted into the Alma College Hall of Fame, Arkansas Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Greg also supports athletics in many other ways, including founding the Mighty Bluebirds Organization. The organization provides top coaching and facilities for youth to participate in soccer, wrestling, basketball, baseball and football.

Greg's athletic background was also passed down to his children. His oldest daughter, Kelsey, played basketball and was a team captain at Arkansas.  Greg and Lee's daughter Haley was a two-time All-American soccer player at Ouachita Baptist while his other daughter, Larkin, was an All-Great American Conference soccer player for Harding. His son Layne is a freshman quarterback at the University of Alabama. The Hatcher's youngest daughter, Mattie, won Olympic Gold in Team Equestrian Jumping at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and is an all-star basketball and soccer player at Pulaski Academy.

In 1990, Greg started the Hatcher Agency, which has grown into the largest organically grown Employee Benefits Agency in the United States.  It has been named by Arkansas Business as Arkansas's Best Insurance Agency every year since they started the survey in 2004.  In addition, Greg was named Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year in 2015, and The Hatcher Agency was named Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation in 2006.

Lee has also been an active member of the community and owns Silver Spur Properties. She is a competitive equestrian jumper, along with their daughter Mattie. Together, Lee and Greg have chaired numerous organizations including Hearts and Hooves, The Arthritis Foundation, The Baptist Health Foundation Board, The Arkansas Wrestling Association and Centers for Youth and Families.

"Lee and I are very excited to be the honorees for this year's SpectacUALR," said Hatcher. "I believe everything you need to know if life, you can learn about through competing in athletics. To be able to be a part of this event, which benefits Little Rock student-athletes, is an honor."

"I am also very proud that UA Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson and Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said yes to wrestling. This will provide Arkansas and the surrounding areas a chance to wrestle at the Division I level. We will get to see some of the best schools in the country come to Little Rock as the Trojans build their program at the national level."

Over the past 10 years, SpectacUALR has brought in nearly $2.3 million since its inaugural event in 2009. These generous donations are used to help fund the 15 Trojan athletic programs, benefitting over 200 student-athletes who represent Little Rock's Team.

The evening will feature unique silent and live auction items, ranging from memorabilia, gift packages and one-of-a-kind experiences. All proceeds from the event directly support Little Rock student-athletes.

To order a table for SpectacUALR 2019, or for more information on how to become a sponsor, contact Tyson Baldwin, Director of Athletic Development, at (501) 350-4653 or via email at twbaldwin@ualr.edu.

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