WASHINGTON – In every season since 2003, one player on the Georgetown University football team carries the tradition and the legacy of a fallen brother on his shoulders. The Hoyas have announced that senior defensive lineman VeRon Garrison has been selected as the 20th recipient of the No. 35 Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey for the 2024 campaign.

The student-athletes chosen to wear the No. 35 jersey have been selected based on both on-field performance and a combination of skills and intangibles that have cemented Eacobacci's place in Georgetown football history.

"I feel extremely blessed to be a small part of the incredible tradition of the Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey," said Head Coach Rob Sgarlata. "Today we selected the next in the long line of incredible people who were honored to wear the No. 35 jersey. VeRon Garrison will be a great representative of this tradition, of the people who come before, the Eacobacci family and our program both on and off the field."
 
Garrison is now the fourth defensive lineman to wear the No. 35 jersey alongside Michael Ononibaku (2004,05), Alex Buzbee (2006) and Stephen Smith (2007). 

"I am incredibly honored to represent the number 35 jersey this season. I am excited to carry on the legacy of this jersey and the history and significance that it holds. It is a representation of our team's spirit and resilience. This honor is a reminder for me to always strive to uphold the values of our program and show leadership, dedication and excellence both on and off the field"

The New Jersey native has played in 29 games on the Hilltop, racking up 58 tackles including 6.5 tackles for a loss of 17 yards and one sack for a loss of four yards. The defensive lineman has also recorded two blocked passes and three fumble recoveries. The two-time team captain was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2022 and 2023 and earned a spot on the Academic All-Patriot League team in 2023. 

On September 11, 2001 the Georgetown community lost former Hoya football standout Eacobacci to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. A 1996 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, he was an energy trader for the investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of the North Tower. Since the 2003 season, the No. 35 has been awarded as a living memorial to the spirit and memory of Joey.