SaberCats Add 2013 JLS Playmaker of the Year and All-Arena WR Reggie Gray
September 11, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose SaberCats announced today that they have been assigned former Chicago Rush wide receiver Reggie Gray. He was named the Arena Football League's JLS Playmaker of the Year last season and has earned Second Team All-Arena honors in all three of his years in the league. Gray was teammates with current SaberCats quarterback Russ Michna in 2011 and 2012 in Chicago, and at Western Illinois in 2002 and 2003.
"Reggie is one of the most explosive playmakers in this league," said SaberCats Owner/Head Coach Darren Arbet. "He has the ability to stretch the field and has a proven track record during his three years in Chicago. Adding a player of Reggie's quality is really big for us in our preparation for the 2014 season."
Gray (5-10, 185, Western Illinois) joins the SaberCats following a stellar last three seasons as a member of the Rush. Throughout his three-year AFL career, Gray has caught 410 passes for 5,884 yards and 143 touchdowns in 54 games played. In 2013, he posted a team-high 140 receptions for a career-high 1,978 yards (second most in the league) with 46 touchdowns in 18 appearances. In addition, Gray was the team's leading kick returner, averaging 22.9 yards per return, which ranked second best in the AFL, and had three more scores. He also led the league in all-purpose yardage with 3,144 and finished with the second most touchdowns at 49. Against the SaberCats in Week 19, Gray hauled in seven passes for 96 yards with one touchdown, while also finding the end zone with a 57-yard kickoff return to open the game.
The Chicago native nearly mirrored his 2013 output, grabbing 140 passes for 1,937 yards and 48 touchdowns (third most in the league) for the Rush in 2012 in 18 games played. He added one more score on the ground, as well as three via the kick return. Gray burst on to the AFL landscape in 2011 for the Rush, posting 130 catches for 1,969 yards (third most in the league) with 49 touchdowns (second most in the league) and also scored four more times as a kick returner in 18 appearances. Along with being named Second Team All-Arena, in his rookie season, Gray was selected as a member of the league's All-Ironman team.
Prior to his time in the AFL, the former Western Illinois Leatherneck spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Chicago Slaughter of the CIFL (Continental Indoor Football League). Gray and Michna led the team to an undefeated season and league championship in 2009, when Gray led the league in all-purpose yardage. He was also a member of the Rush's practice squad during the 2008 campaign. After his time at Western Illinois, Gray began his indoor career with the Bloomington Extreme of the UIF (United Indoor Football), which is now the current iteration of the IFL (Indoor Football League), for two seasons. During his two years with the Extreme, Gray caught 111 passes for 1,231 yards and 21 touchdowns in 23 appearances.
The three-year AFL veteran spent his collegiate career at Western Illinois from 2002-05, and was teammates with Michna in 2002 and 2003 for the Leathernecks. Gray finished his four years with 153 receptions (first all-time), 2,426 receiving yards (first all-time), 16 touchdowns, and averaged 15.8 yards per catch. He earned Second Team All-Conference honors in 2002, 2003 and 2005 and was an honorable mention in 2004 as a junior.
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Arena Football League Stories from September 11, 2013
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