Gladiators announce 2011 roster

Sunday March 13, 2011

Steve Thonn concludes 2011 Training Camp and sets roster

CLEVELAND – Cleveland Gladiators Head Coach Steve Thonn has closed the 2011 training camp and finalized his roster, the team announced today.  The Gladiators will begin their season this Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. when they visit the defending ArenaBowl XXIII Champion Spokane Shock in Washington.

“I’m really pleased with how well the guys did in camp,” Thonn said.  “This is never an easy process, and it was especially difficult with all of the talent we had this year.  It’s so hard to have to sit a guy down and tell him that he didn’t make it, but on the other hand, I’m excited about the group we have moving forward into the start of the season.”

The Arena Football League allows teams to carry a regular season 24-man active roster, with a 21-man active roster for each game.  The three players will be considered “inactive” for that particular game.

In addition, the Gladiators activated 2005 AFL Rookie of the Year WR Troy Bergeron from the Other League Exempt List.

The Gladiators 2011 roster features 11 players returning from last year’s squad.  Highlighting the roster are two-time ArenaBowl champion John Dutton at quarterback and first-team All-Arena offensive lineman Adam Tadisch.  Wide receiver Robert Redd, a standout on the 2008 playoff squad during the inaugural season in Cleveland, also returns to the Gladiators in 2011.

The Gladiators 2011 season will kick off on the road against the defending ArenaBowl XXIII Champion Spokane Shock.  The Gladiators home opener is set for SATURDAY, APRIL 2 versus the CHICAGO RUSH.  Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM at Quicken Loans Arena.  SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! For more information, visit www.clevelandgladiators.com or call 216.685.9000 today!

2011 CLEVELAND GLADIATORS ACTIVE ROSTER

POS             NAME                               HT         WT          BIRTH             COLLEGE

WR              Troy Bergeron                   6’2         195          12/3/83            Middle Tennessee State

WR/DB        Mike Bragg                        6’1         195          12/13/81          Texas A&M Kingsville                                         

DB               Levy Brown                       5’11       200          8/15/84            Florida A&M                                                       

LB                Tim Cheatwood                 6’4         270          11/5/78            Ohio State                                                          

K                  Matt Denny                        6’0         190          2/8/86              Carthage

FB/LB          Carlos Downey                  6’2         290          10/11/85          Eastern New Mexico                                          

QB               John Dutton                       6’4         230          9/20/75            Nevada                                                                               

OL               Bill Eisenhardt                    6’3         280          6/27/86            Grand Valley                                                       

DL               Earl Heyman                     6’2         280          9/5/87              Louisville                                                                             

DL               Anthony Hoke                    6’1         240          6/19/86            Cincinnati                                                                            

DB               Leslie Jackman                  6’0         185          6/9/87              Hofstra

WR              A.J. Kegg                           6’1         195          8/8/87              Hillsdale

WR              Thyron Lewis                     6’4         200          11/25/82          Howard                                                                              

WR/DB        Davion Mitchell                  5’11       185          6/11/85            Southwestern                                                     

FB/LB          Russell Monk                     6’3         280          3/22/86            St. Ambrose                                                       

WR/DB        Joe Phinisee                      5’10       195          1/6/86              Walsh                                                                                 

WR/DB        Robert Redd                     5’10       195          9/1/80              Bowling Green State                                          

DB               Demarcus Robinson          6’2         195          6/3/86              Henderson State                                                

QB               Kurt Rocco                        6’5         230          10/8/87            Mount Union                                                       

OL               Adam Tadisch                   6’8         320          3/29/84            North Dakota State                                            

FB/LB          Pierre Turner                    6’1         245          10/17/87          Richmond                                                                           

WR/LB         Victor Williams                   6’4         225          8/22/85            Northern Iowa

OL/DL          Calvin Wilson                     6’6         345          1/16/87            North Alabama

Head Coach – Steve Thonn

Director of Player Personnel – Ron Selesky

Offensive/Defensive Line Coach – Whitney Bell

Defensive Backs Coach – Nick Ward

Assistant Coach – Jason Freshwater

Assistant Coach – Mike Smith

Head Equipment Manager – Brian Freeman

Assistant Equipment Manager – Giovanni Di Siena