Greg Hopkins

GREG HOPKINS

PERSONAL: Greg resides in Nineveh, Pa., a small town in the Southwest corner of Pennsylvania, in the off-season … assists in running the Hopkins Family Store and he works as a professional model, doing mainly print work and some runway fashion shows.

FAMILY: Greg is the son of Sam & Dotty Hopkins who resides in Nineveh, PA.

HIGH SCHOOL: Hopkins was a quarterback at Waynesburg (Pa.) Central High School.

COLLEGE: A four-year letterman at Slippery Rock (Pa.) University, Hopkins was one of the nation’s top Division II receivers. He was named to the All-America and All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams for three consecutive years and owns nine school records. Hopkins is still Slippery Rock’s all-time leader in receptions (215), receiving yards (3,382) and touchdowns (28). As a senior in 1994, he earned Academic All-America honors. Hopkins also threw two touchdown passes as a junior. In addition, he was a two-year letterman (1992-93) on the Slippery Rock Division I wrestling team, competing at 190 pounds.

Greg graduated from Slippery Rock with a degree in environmental science.

~~~~~~~~~AFL's "Iron man of the Year"~~~~~~~~~

TEAMS: Indiana Firebirds, Los Angeles Avengers

PROFILE:

Position: Wide Receiver/Linebacker for Los Angeles Avengers
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 205 Pounds
Born: November 16, 1971
AFL Experience: 8 Years
College: Slippery Rock University

Greg Hopkins, one of the Arena Football League’s most effective two-way players, returns for his third year with the Avengers. Last season, he earned All-Arena honors for the fourth time in his eight-year AFL career.

Hopkins caught 87 passes for 1,192 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2003. On defense, the standout wide receiver/linebacker made 30 tackles (1.5 for losses), batted down six passes and made two interceptions. On April 13, 2003, he tied an Avenger record for touchdowns in a single game (six), as he caught five touchdown passes and returned an interception for a score. Hopkins had a career-year in his first season with the Avengers in 2002, finishing with 102 receptions for 1,285 yards and 29 touchdowns.

On defense, he had a team-high five interceptions and returned three of them for touchdowns. At the conclusion of the season, Hopkins was named the AFL’s "Iron man of the Year," which is an award given to the top two-way player and considered to be the league’s highest individual honor.

He signed a one-year contract with the Avengers on Dec. 4, 2001, after being the league’s most sought after free agent, following six seasons within the Indiana Firebirds organization. Later, Hopkins extended that contract two more years (through the 2004 season).

He is the AFL’s leading receiver since the 2000 season with 402 catches for 4,998 yards. Hopkins has 17 career interceptions, nine of which have been returned for scores, which is an all-time AFL career record. In 2001, he was a strong candidate for "Iron man of the Year" honors, grabbing 102 passes for 1,226 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Indiana Firebirds. Hopkins’ receptions and yardage totals were both league highs among non-offensive specialists in 2001. He established himself as one of the AFL’s premier players in 2000, scoring 32 touchdowns and racking up 111 catches for 1,295 yards. In 1996, Hopkins had his rookie season in the AFL limited to just two games due to a broken left hand. After that point, he racked up seven consecutive 50-plus-reception seasons, which is among the most in league history. During that time span, Hopkins has also lived up to his "Iron man" reputation, playing in 100 consecutive regular-season games for the Firebirds and Avengers.

In his AFL career, Hopkins has caught 611 passes for 7,720 yards and 155 touchdowns. In addition, he has accounted for 252.5 tackles. In 102 career AFL games, Hopkins has scored a grand total of 1,022 points, ranking him at No. 8 on the league’s all-time list.

CFL: Hopkins’ only experience in professional football outside the AFL came in 1995, when he participated in training camp with the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Roughriders.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 17, 2002
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
GREG HOPKINS WINS ‘IRONMAN
OF THE YEAR’ AWARD
SAN JOSE -- After having the kind of standout season that was expected of him when signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Avengers last December, Greg Hopkins has been honored by the Arena Football League with the “Ironman of the Year” award.

The “Ironman of the Year” award, which goes to the AFL’s top two-way player, is considered the league’s top individual honor as it exemplifies the spirit of the game through its most durable and productive athletes. The award was presented to Hopkins at a ceremony leading up to tomorrow’s ArenaBowl XVI match-up between the Arizona Rattlers and host San Jose SaberCats here at the Compaq Center (noon kickoff – ABC-TV).

This past season, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver-linebacker led the Avengers in scoring (202 points), touchdowns (33), receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,285), ranking at No. 3 in the league in all four of those categories. On defense, Hopkins made 38.5 tackles and intercepted five passes, returning three of them for scores.

“I’d like to share this honor with my teammates, all the coaches and the whole Avenger organization,” Hopkins said. “Everyone really made me feel extremely comfortable in my first year in Los Angeles and I’m really looking forward to the future. Coach (Ed) Hodgkiss has put together a great group of players and we could be on the verge of something really special.”

A seven-year veteran, Hopkins led the Avengers to an 8-6 record in 2002, which earned the club the No. 5 seed in the playoffs (L.A. lost in the first round to the Tampa Bay Storm).

Hopkins’ three interception returns for touchdowns not only led the league in 2002, but also upped his career total to eight, which is a new all-time AFL record.

No stranger to league honors this season, Hopkins earned weekly AFL awards four times in 2002, winning “Ironman of the Week” three times and “Offensive Player of the Week” once. He also was named the “Ironman of the Month” after performing well in five games during the month of June.

On July 19, Hopkins signed a two-year contract extension with the Avengers, opting for forgo what presumably would have been a lucrative foray into free agency this off-season.

The Avengers fourth season in the AFL will kickoff in February. Season seats for the 2003 season are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling 1-888-AVENGERS. Those purchasing season tickets prior to Sept. 15, will receive a discounted rate.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 25, 2002
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
HOPKINS HONORED AS AFL
‘IRONMAN OF THE WEEK’
LOS ANGELES -- The Arena Football League announced today that Greg Hopkins of the Los Angeles Avengers has been honored as the “Ironman of the Week” for his outstanding performance in last Saturday’s 62-32 victory over the Carolina Cobras. He caught seven passes, finished with 114 all-purpose yards and returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

It marks the fourth time this season and the fifth time in his six-year AFL career that Hopkins has been honored with a weekly league award. Earlier this season, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver-linebacker was selected as the “Ironman” twice (Weeks 3 and 7) and earned the “Offensive Player of the Week” award last week for his dominating performance in L.A.’s 68-61 victory over the defending ArenaBowl champion Grand Rapids Rampage on June 15.

On the season, Hopkins has 78 catches (No. 1 in the AFL), 953 receiving yards (No. 3) and 22 touchdowns (No. 5). On defense, he has returned three of his five interceptions this season for scores, and has a total of 32 tackles.

Avenger players have won seven of the 30 AFL weekly awards handed out so far this season. In addition to Hopkins’ four awards, offensive specialist Chris Jackson has been honored as “Offensive Player of the Week” two times and fullback-linebacker Chad Dukes was selected as “Ironman” once. No other team in the league has had its players win more than four weekly AFL awards in 2002.

The Avengers (6-4) play the Toronto Phantoms (5-5) on Thursday, June 27, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (Pacific) and the game will be broadcast back to the L.A. area on KMPC 1540-LA and available over the Internet at http://radio.sportingnews.com/losangeles.

The Avengers will return home on Saturday, July 6, to face the Arizona Rattlers at STAPLES Center. Five-thousand lucky fans will receive a free “Tony Graziani Bobblehead,” compliments of Carl’s Jr. Tickets, which start as low as $8, can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets and the STAPLES Center box office.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 22, 2002
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
GREG HOPKINS SIGNS TWO-YEAR
EXTENSION
LOS ANGELES -- Opting to forgo what presumably would be a lucrative foray into free agency this off-season, Greg Hopkins has signed a two-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Avengers.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver-linebacker is in his seventh season in the Arena Football League, but first with the Avengers, who will host their first-ever playoff game on Saturday, July 27, at STAPLES Center against the Tampa Bay Storm.

Hopkins is currently the leading candidate for the AFL’s “Ironman of the Year” award, which goes to the league’s top two-way player. He leads the Avengers in scoring (202 points), touchdowns (33), receptions (102), receiving yards (1,285), all-purpose yards (1,377) and interceptions (five), and ranks among the league leaders in each of those categories. On defense, Hopkins has returned three of his five interceptions this year for scores, and has a total of 38.5 tackles.

“In my opinion Greg is the MVP of this league,” Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss said. “He has been instrumental in the turnaround here in L.A. We are very excited to have him back. As long as I’ve been in the AFL, he’s been there right with me and I’m happy to continue that relationship. If he wasn’t around, it would be like having my left arm cut off.”

Hopkins has been honored with weekly AFL awards four times this season, winning “Ironman of the Week” three times and “Offensive Player of the Week” once. He also was recently named the “Ironman of the Month (June).”

“Even though this season’s not done yet, I’m having a great time here in Los Angeles this summer,” Hopkins said. “Coach Hodgkiss has put together a great group and I’m looking forward to the future. I’ll be out here for at least two more years and it could be something special.

“I’ve been through free agency for the past three years and signed one-year contracts each time. This time, however, I felt real comfortable staying out here with the guys we have in place. I don’t think that playing anywhere else would benefit me more than staying here with the group we’ve got already.”

The first-round AFL playoff game between the Avengers (8-6) and the Storm (6-8) on Saturday, July 27, is set to kickoff at STAPLES Center at 4:30 p.m. (Pacific). Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, the STAPLES Center box office or by calling 1-888-AVENGERS.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 18, 2002
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
GREG HOPKINS HONORED AS AFL
'OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE
WEEK'
LOS ANGELES -- The Arena Football League announced today that Greg Hopkins of the Los Angeles Avengers has been honored as the “Offensive Player of the Week” for his outstanding performance in last Saturday’s victory over the defending ArenaBowl champion Grand Rapids Rampage.

This marks the third time this season and the fourth time in his six-year AFL career that Hopkins has been honored with a weekly league award. Earlier this season, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver-linebacker was selected as the “Ironman of the Week” twice (Weeks 3 and 7).

In the 68-61 Avenger victory at Grand Rapids on June 15, Hopkins tied a team record with 13 catches, gained 162 yards and scored five touchdowns. He also made three tackles.

On the season, Hopkins has 71 catches (No. 2 in the AFL), 878 receiving yards (No. 2) and 21 touchdowns (No. 5). On defense, he has returned two of his three interceptions this season for scores, and has a total of 30.5 tackles.

Hopkins’ latest interception return for a touchdown on June 1, versus Dallas was the seventh of his career and tied him with current teammate Mark Ricks for the all-time AFL record.

Avenger players have won six of the 27 AFL weekly awards handed out so far this season. In addition to Hopkins’ three awards, offensive specialist Chris Jackson has been honored as “Offensive Player of the Week” two times and fullback-linebacker Chad Dukes was selected as “Ironman” once. No other team in the league has had its players win more than three times in 2002.

The Avengers (5-4) host the Carolina Cobras (4-5) on Saturday, June 22, at STAPLES Center Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. It will be “Camera Night” as fans will be encouraged to come down onto the field after the game to take pictures with their favorite Avenger players, coaches and “A-Team” dancers. Five-thousand fans will also receive a free Avenger photo album, compliments of Universal Studios.

Avenger season tickets are still available and can be purchased over the telephone at 1-888-AVENGERS. Single-game tickets, which start as low as $8, can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets and the STAPLES Center box office.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 4, 2002
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
HOPKINS EARNS AFL ‘IRONMAN
OF THE WEEK’ AWARD
LOS ANGELES -- The Arena Football League announced today that Greg Hopkins of the Los Angeles Avengers has been honored as the “Ironman of the Week” for his outstanding performance in last Saturday’s game against the Dallas Desperados.

This marks the second time this season and the third time in his six-year AFL career that Hopkins has been honored as “Ironman of the Week.”

He starred in all phases of the game for the Avengers in their 62-55 loss to the Desperados, catching a game-high eight passes for 98 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned an interception 27 yards for an additional touchdown, made 4.5 tackles and deflected two passes.

His interception return for a touchdown, which sparked a furious Avenger comeback in the third quarter, was the seventh of Hopkins’ career and tied him with current teammate Mark Ricks for the all-time AFL record.

On the season, Hopkins has 52 catches (No. 4 in the AFL), 666 receiving yards (No. 6) and 15 touchdowns (No. 5). Defensively, he has intercepted three passes and returned two of them for scores, and has a total of 24 tackles.

Avenger players have won five of the 21 AFL weekly awards handed out so far this season. In addition to Hopkins’ two “Ironman” awards, offensive specialist Chris Jackson has been honored as “Offensive Player of the Week” two times and fullback-linebacker Chad Dukes was selected as “Ironman” last week. No other team in the league has had its players win more than twice in 2002.

The Avengers (4-3) host the San Jose SaberCats (7-0) on Saturday, June 8, at STAPLES Center. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and 5,000 fans will receive a “Greg Hopkins Bobblehead” compliments of Carl’s Jr.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 7, 2002
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
GREG HOPKINS HONORED AS AFL
‘IRONMAN OF THE WEEK’
LOS ANGELES -- The Arena Football League announced today that Greg Hopkins of the Los Angeles Avengers has been selected as the AFL’s “Ironman of the Week” for his outstanding triple-threat performance in Week 3.

Hopkins, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receive-linebacker, caught a game-high nine passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a 52-51 victory over the Dallas Desperados on Saturday, May 4, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Tex. He also returned an interception 10 yards for an additional touchdown, made two tackles and recovered a key fumble. And, as if that weren’t enough, Hopkins preserved the victory at the final buzzer, hustling to recover a free-ball in the end zone for a touchback, after a kickoff took a crazy bounce off the uprights.

He is currently second on the team in catches (17), receiving yards (234), and touchdowns (four), and fourth in tackles (9.5).

This marks the second time in Hopkins’ seven-year career that he has earned a weekly AFL honor. The first came in Week 2 of the 1998 season, while he was with the Albany Firebirds.

The AFL also announced that offensive specialist Lamont Cooper of the Buffalo Destroyers received “Offensive Player of the Week” honors, while fullback-linebacker Andre Bowden of the Carolina Cobras captured the “Defensive Player of the Week” award.

The Avengers are currently in preparations to play their third consecutive road game on Saturday, May 11, against the San Jose SaberCats at the Compaq Center. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), and can also be heard on KMPC 1540-LA.

Avenger season tickets are still available and can be purchased over the telephone at 1-888-AVENGERS or online at www.laavengers.com. Single-game tickets, which start as low as $8, can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets and the STAPLES Center box office.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 5, 2001
John Tamanaha, V.P. of Communications -- (310) 407-0208
'IRONMAN' GREG HOPKINS SIGNS
WITH AVENGERS
LOS ANGELES -- One of the Arena Football League’s most effective two-way players and most sought after free agents, Greg Hopkins has signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Avengers, head coach Ed Hodgkiss announced today.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound wide receiver-linebacker became a free agent after playing within the Indiana Firebirds organization for the past six years. Hopkins is the AFL’s leading receiver over the course of the past two seasons with 213 receptions (111 in 2000 and 102 in 2001).

In his AFL career, Hopkins has caught 424 passes for 5,353 yards and 100 touchdowns. In addition, he has accounted for 236 tackles and 10 interceptions (five of which have been returned for scores). In 72 career AFL games, Hopkins has scored a grand total of 658 points, ranking him at No. 14 on the league’s all-time list. He was named to the “All-Arena” second team in both 1998 and 2000.

“Greg was the No. 1 free agent that we wanted to go after and we are very excited to have him join us and help lead the Avengers to our ultimate goal, which is winning the ArenaBowl,” said Hodgkiss, who coached Hopkins for the past five years (1997-2001) while with the Firebirds. “In my opinion, he is the top ‘jack’ linebacker in the whole league and one of the best receivers.

“Greg is arguably one of the AFL’s best two-way ‘Ironman’ players, which is what this league is all about,” Hodgkiss added. “He takes pride in what he does and also is really good on special teams. But most importantly, Greg is not only a great player, but a person of high character and the consummate professional.”

This past season, Hopkins was a candidate for AFL “Ironman of the Year” honors, grabbing 102 passes for 1,226 yards and 18 touchdowns. His receptions and yardage were both league highs among non-offensive specialists. In addition, Hopkins teamed with “Touchdown” Eddie Brown to form the most lethal one-two combination in the AFL history with a combined 218 receptions for 2,750 yards and 55 touchdowns. Defensively, Hopkins was second on the Firebird team with 59 tackles and also intercepted two passes.

“I’m ready to get into a new mix and hopefully make some positive things happen out in Los Angeles,” Hopkins said. “With a sound defense already in place and with Ed (Hodgkiss) coming in as an offensive guru, I think that things will definitely turn around for the Avengers.”

In 2000, Hopkins established himself as one of the premier players in the AFL, scoring 32 touchdowns and racking up 111 catches for 1,295 yards.

In 1996, Hopkins had has rookie season in the AFL limited to just two games due to a broken left hand. Since then, he has racked up five consecutive 50-plus reception seasons, which ties him for fourth most in AFL history. During that time span, he has also lived up to his “Ironman” reputation, playing in 71 consecutive regular-season games for the Firebirds.

“It was hard to sever the ties with all the friends I made over the last six years with the Firebirds,” Hopkins said. “It was not an easy decision to make. I can’t say enough about Coach (Mike) Dailey and his staff. All the things I’ve learned from them have kept me in the game and allowed me to achieve the status of where I am at right now. I owe it all to Coach Dailey and his staff. I can’t thank them enough.”

As a four-year letterman (1991-94) at Slippery Rock University, Hopkins was one of the nation’s top Division II receivers. He was named to the All-America and All-Conference teams for three consecutive years and owns nine school records. Hopkins is still Slippery Rock’s all-time leader in receptions (215), receiving yards (3,382) and touchdowns (28). As a senior, he earned Academic All-America honors. In addition, Hopkins was a two-year letterman (1992-93) on the Slippery Rock Division I wrestling team.

In the off-season, Hopkins resides in Nineveh, a small town in the Southwest corner of Pennsylvania that has a population of only 88. He helps his parents run the Hopkins Family Store, which is practically the only business establishment in Nineveh. Hopkins also is a professional model, doing mainly print work and some runway fashion shows.

The Avengers have been busy during the offseason. On Nov. 9, the team re-signed its top offensive player, wide receiver-linebacker Chris Jackson, to a three-year deal. Then, “All-Arena” defensive specialist Mark Ricks, who became a free agent after an outstanding season with the Avengers in 2001 (eight interceptions and 86.3 all-purpose yards per game), inked another three-year deal on Nov. 29.

Hodgkiss also has retained several key players from last season’s Avenger squad and selected wide receiver-defensive back Jack Walker with the ninth pick (acquired in a trade with the Dallas Desperados) of the 2002 AFL Expansion Draft, which was held on Tuesday (Dec. 4).

“We are well on our way to getting accomplished what we wanted to do in offseason, but we still have a ways to go,” Hodgkiss said. “There are some other players we want to sign and some who we would like to add via the Dispersal Draft (on Monday, Dec. 10), but this is an outstanding start.”

The Avengers’ third season of play in the Arena Football League will begin in April. The AFL will field 16 teams for its 16th season in 2002. The expansion Dallas Desperados, owned by Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones, will be joined by Atlanta as new AFL markets for the 2002 season. Teams preparing to begin play over the next several seasons include Denver, Jacksonville, Nashville, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington.

The AFL, the second-longest running professional football league in the United States behind only the National Football League, is a fast paced indoor game with an emphasis on affordability and fan involvement. The perfect compliment to the NFL season, AFL games are played in the spring and early summer. The exciting and high-scoring indoor game is the fastest growing sport in America.

Avenger season tickets, which include all seven home games played at STAPLES Center, are now on sale and can be purchased over the telephone at (888) AVENGERS or online at www.laavengers.com.

Greg