Marquette Smith Will Join Night Train Today
May 28, 2003 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
La Crosse Night Train News Release
The long-awaited arrival of Marquette Smith to La Crosse will finally happen, as the former Carolina Panther joins the team at practice tonight at the La Crosse Center. Smith (5'8, 210 lbs.) was slated to be La Crosse's featured running back at the start of the 2003 season before an injury put his season on hold.
Smith comes to La Crosse known as one of the most prolific running backs in indoor football history. In 2000, he ran for 1,053 yards and 53 touchdowns for the IFL-Champion Green Bay Bombers. Smith was the first player to rush for more than 1,000 in indoor football history.
He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He remained on the team's roster until 1997, when he suffered a NFL-career ending knee injury. Smith was the starting running back for the 1993 National Champion Florida State Seminoles. After a knee injury allowed Warrick Dunn to take his starting role at FSU, Smith transferred to Central Florida, where he set the school's single-season rushing record (1,511 yards in 1995) and became the first player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He also holds school records for yards per carry (5.5), most attempts in a game (39) and season (274), most 100-yard games in a season (9), and most touchdowns in a season (14).
In addition to Smith, the Night Train also signed Shane Hall (CB) and Kevin Rhaburn (DB/KR) to contracts for the remainder of the 2003 season. Hall is a 2001 graduate from the University of Iowa. Hall was originally with the team in February, but injured his heel in training camp. Rhaburn began the 2003 season with the Tri-City Diesel. He is a graduate of UNLV.
La Crosse will take on the Ft. Wayne Freedom Friday night at the La Crosse Center. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
National Indoor Football League Stories from May 28, 2003
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- Marquette Smith Will Join Night Train Today - La Crosse Night Train
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