af2 Influence in AFL Increasing

May 1, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

CHICAGO – As the 2002 arenafootball2 season enters its sixth week, the league office has announced that 28 players who participated in af2's 2001 season made the final rosters of the Arena Football League, af2's parent league.

While the number of af2 players making the jump to the AFL is down slightly from last year's 32, the actual percentage of af2 players on AFL rosters is higher. Since the AFL contracted four teams prior to the start of the 2002 season, there were nearly 100 fewer roster spots available than in 2001.

"I think it speaks highly to the increasing talent of our players," af2 Executive Director JAY MARCUS said. "Having the opportunity to move up in the professional ranks is what af2 is all about, and we look forward to seeing more players do the same in the future."

The league champion Quad City Steamwheelers led all af2 teams, sending six players to the AFL, including 2001 af2 Offensive Player of the Year JAY McDONAGH. McDonagh, who beat out former New York Jet GLENN FOLEY for the No. 1 QB spot on the AFL New Jersey Gladiators' roster, led his new team to a 45-44 comeback win over the Dallas Desperados this past weekend.

Other notable names from the list of af2 graduates include: 2001 Defensive Player of the Year ERNEST CERTAIN; 2001 Lineman of the Year JAMARR WARD; 2001 Rookie of the Year MATT SAUK and 2001 Built Ford Tough Man of the Year, RONNIE WASHBURN. The graduate list also includes nine members of the 2001 All-af2 Team.

Aside from the players, several af2 coaches joined the AFL ranks for 2002. Leading that pack is former Quad City Head Coach FRANK HAEGE, who now leads the Gladiators. Haege also enlisted his Quad City defensive coordinator, BRIAN SCHWARTZ, and former Iowa Barnstormer head man ART HAEGE to join his staff in New Jersey. Former Tennessee Valley and Augusta defensive coordinator BRET MUNSEY now is in the same role with the Carolina Cobras.

Additionally, the Dallas Desperados tapped TOM LUGINBULL (Tennessee Valley) to be their offensive coordinator and JON NORRIS (Tulsa) to tutor the lines. Other coaches moving up include JORGE CIMADEVILLA (Augusta), who coaches special teams for Carolina, and DAVE WITTHUN, who is with the Chicago Rush after spending time with Pensacola and Macon over the past two seasons.

Overall, New Jersey led all AFL teams in af2 recruits, bringing seven players and three coaches to the Gladiators. The AFL is in its third week and consists of 23 teams (16 active for 2002 season), including eight in the 10 largest U.S. media markets. An additional seven expansion teams already have been approved to begin play over the next three years. Early last month, NBC Sports and the AFL reached a broadcast agreement to begin in 2003.

Af2, the developmental league of the AFL, has had more than 100 players sign contracts with other leagues – participating in training camps, making practice squads or earning spots on teams' active rosters, with more than 10 players going to the NFL. Sixty af2 players have made final AFL rosters the past two seasons.

The 2002 af2 season, the league's third campaign, will culminate with ArenaCup 2002 on Aug. 15. The new TNN will air the league championship game for the third consecutive season.

The following is the list of 2001 af2 players who made 2002 final AFL rosters:

POS. PLAYER 2001 af2 TEAM(S) 2002 AFL TEAM
QB Chris Hixson Tallahassee Arizona
DS Dwaine Carpenter Rochester Buffalo
WR/DB Jeremy Johnson Wichita Buffalo
OS Jarrail Jackson Tulsa Buffalo
OL/DL Justin Cleveland Tennessee Valley Carolina
WR/DB Jamall Garman Macon Carolina
WR/DB Lindsey Fleshman Roanoke Chicago
K Bruce Rienecker Greensboro/Pensacola Chicago
WR/DB Marvin Taylor Tallahassee Chicago
OL/DL Ronnie Washburn Carolina Dallas
FB/LB Corky Martin Tulsa Dallas
K Stan Whitlock Carolina/Columbus Georgia
OS Jason Waters Norfolk Grand Rapids
QB Matt Sauk Tennessee Valley Los Angeles
FB/LB Frank Carter Quad City New Jersey
WR/DB Dennison Robinson Quad City New Jersey
WR/DB George Williams Richmond New Jersey
QB Jay McDonagh Quad City New Jersey
OL/DL Jamarr Ward Quad City New Jersey
WR/DB Jeremy Wilkinson Quad City New Jersey
OL/DL Michael Moncrief Bossier City New Jersey
DS Donvetis Franklin Carolina New York
WR/DB Shon King Quad City New York
QB Jermaine Alfred Augusta Orlando
OL/DL Joe Sipp Florida Orlando
OL/DL Ernest Certain Tallahassee Tampa Bay
WR/DB Chris Pointer Norfolk Toronto
FB/LB Daryl Richardson Peoria Toronto

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