Former HBCU soccer star Chris Rowland appears to have discovered a house within the UFL.
The previous Tennessee State large receiver has turn into a key participant for the DC Defenders this season.
Rowland got here into Sunday’s sport towards the Memphis Showboats main the league in all-purpose yards in addition to punt return yards with 1,132. He added 209 all-purpose yards, together with a landing catch.
“Nothing however God,” Rowland tweeted after eclipsing the mark earlier within the week. “So grateful to have crossed this milestone for the primary time in my professional profession.
Chris Rowland has been making performs for years, particularly throughout his faculty days at Tennessee State. Rowland set an HBCU document with 104 receptions in the course of the 2019 season, eclipsing the outdated mark of 103 set by Black Faculty Soccer Corridor of Famer Jerry Rice in 1984. He was named First Workforce All-Ohio Valley Convention (OVC) as a large receiver and return specialist. Rowland led the Convention in receptions, yards (1,437) and all-purpose yards (2,110), and was named OVC Offensive Participant of the Yr. He was the one Division I participant (FBS or FCS) to attain a landing by way of kick return, punt return, reception, and dashing. He was named the HBCU Participant of The Yr by the Black Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame that season.
After main the nation in receiving yards per sport (119.8), Rowland was chosen to play within the NFL Gamers Affiliation Collegiate Bowl. He was additionally a Finalist for the Walter Payton Award, named after the Black Faculty Soccer Corridor of Famer, which is given to the FCS Offensive Participant of the Yr.
Rowland — like all HBCU gamers — went undrafted in 2020. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent, after which landed on the Tennessee Titans observe squad in 2021. He then landed with the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL. He put up strong numbers in 2022 however an harm sidelined him for all however one sport within the following season.
He landed with the DC Defenders following the merger with the XFL that created the UFL and now he’s displaying why he was one of many high all-around gamers in FCS soccer at his HBCU.
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