Steamwheelers Make First Addition To 2004 Roster
Published on November 3, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa â As three of the 2003 Quad City Steamwheelers top stars have already graduated up the Arena Football League, Steamwheelers head coach Rich Ingold has been in hot pursuit of suitable replacements.
One of the holes that Ingold has to fill is the offensive specialist position. One of the players who will be competing for that spot will be Carmelo Ocasio. Ocasio was assigned to the Steamwheelers by the arenafootball2 league on Monday afternoon.
And where better for Ingold, who is known for his recruiting success in his home state, than to go back to his alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, to catch another rising star.
"I coached there for eight years and have a lot of close friends who are still on the coaching staff," Ingold said. "IUP has been the best NCAA Division II program in the past decade and it is a good place to get great football players.
"Carmelo was highly recommended by the coaching staff."
Ocasio, 6'1" 210 lbs., is fresh off a four-year career with the Indians of IUP where he left as the second best receiver in school history and was a part of a team that went 36-11 over those four seasons while qualifying for the playoffs in each of those years as well.
He finished his Indians career having played in 43 games and recorded 165 pass receptions for 2,891 yards, 34 of those resulting in touchdowns. He ranks second all-time in IUP history for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
"He has a bright future and is a very productive player," Ingold said. "I think his talent combined with the other players we have coming here will be a bonus to our team."
In 2001 he averaged 112.2 receiving yards per game, which is still a school record and is tied for the most receiving touchdowns in a game with four, set in 2002.
In his four-year career at IUP, Ocasio earned the following awards: First Team PSAC West All-Star in 2000, 2001 and 2002; AP Third team All-American in 2002; and D2Football.com Second Team All-American.
He also participated in the Cactus Bowl, the Division II All-Star game in 2002. In that game he had three receptions for 59 yards.
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