Coyotes draft star from Japan

February 17, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Central Valley Coyotes News Release


FRESNO – Rui Nakanishi, a defensive back with seven years of overseas football experience, was selected by the Central Valley Coyotes in the arenafootball2 league's international draft today.

Nakanishi (5-9, 172 pounds) was playing with the Japan Seagulls of the X-League, which is the highest-level football league in Japan, for the last three seasons. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers acquired the first pick from the Amarillo Dusters and used it on wide receiver Ken Shimiz, who also played for the Seagulls.

The Coyotes selected Nakanishi with the 10th overall pick of the two-round draft after the team traded their second selection to the San Diego Riptide for future considerations.

Born on September 26, 1979, Nakanishi started playing football at Chuo (Japan) University.

The Coyotes will kick off their 2005 af2 season with an exhibition game at Selland Arena on March 27. The regular season starts on the road in Bakersfield on April 2. Fifty dollar deposits for 2005 Coyote season tickets, which include all nine games played at Selland Arena, are now being accepted at 559-263-9780.



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