Cincinnati Swarm



The Cincinnati Swarm was an expansion af2 franchise, that joined the league in 2003, along with the Green Bay Blizzard. Cincinnati played for the National Conference, in the Midwest Division. In 2003, the Swarm went 7–9, second in the Midwest Division. The Swarm's first touchdown was scored by fullback Andy Aracri. Aracri, who graduated from Miami University (Ohio) also had brief stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Los Angeles Avengers of the AFL and the BC Lions of the CFL. Showcasing more local talent might have been able to save the franchise by winning over their fan base. Despite their modest record, and finishing second in their division, they failed to make the playoffs. Cincinnati's attempt at arena football failed, and the Swarm folded after one year. Ten years earlier, Cincinnati was home to the Cincinnati Rockers from 1992 to 1993, and like the Swarm, they folded shortly after their inception. Despite the Swarm's failure, the city of Cincinnati would get another af2 franchise in the form of the now defunct Cincinnati Jungle Kats, who suffered the same fate at the Swarm. The city currently has no af2 team.

2003 Roster

 * Chris Knipper OL/DL – Attended Beckman high school in Dyersville, Iowa and later played college football at the University of Iowa. Red-shirted for the 1994 season at Iowa, Knipper went on to play for the Hawkeyes in 1995 through 1998. After college Knipper was on the San Diego Chargers practice squad for two seasons 1999 through 2000.


 * Chris Archie WR/LB – Attended Renaissance high school in Detroit and later played college football at the University of Cincinnati and later at Eastern Michigan University. Archie returned to Cincinnati and spent the 2002 preseason with the Cincinnati Bengals before joining the Cincinnati Swarm.
 * John Adleta OL/DL – Attended Loveland high school and later North Carolina State. Adleta spent time on the practice teams of the National Football League's Tamapa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons in the early 1990s and later played with the Arena Football League's St. Louis Stampede in 1995


 * Ryan Russell WR/DB – Attended San Bernardino (California) high school and later West Liberty (WVA) college. Russell was a rookie with the Cincinnati Swarm in 2003

Since leaving college Murphy has spent time in camp with the Arizona Cardinals in the year 2000 and played a season north of the border in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the year 2001
 * Kurt Murphy OL/DL – Attended De Sales high school in Columbus, Ohio and later Ohio State.

Aaron Smith FB/LB and OL/DL – Not much is known about smith but he did attend University of Cincinnati 1995-98

Ramon Davenport WR/DB – Not much is known about Davenport other than that he is a Cincinnati native and that he attend Muskingum College. Davenport played pro ball with the AF2's Roanoke Steam for two seasons 2001-02 before joining the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season

Victor Vrabel OL/DL Attended Campbell Memorial high school in Ohio and later played college football at Kent State. Vrabel was a rookie with the Cincinnati Swarm in 2003

Miguel Merritt FB/LB Attended high school in Hopkinsville Kentucky and later played college football at San Francisco junior college from 1996–1997 and at Alabama from 1998-1999. After college Merritt spent time in training camp with the San Francisco 49ers in the year 2000. After playing a season in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2001 Merritt took his football career indoors and spent the 2002 season in the AF2 with the Louisville Fire before joining the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season

Nick Rice FB/LB Attended Newport high school in Newport Kentucky and later played college football at Thomas More. Rice was a rookie when he joined the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season

Mathias Hauck OL/DL not much is known about Hauck other than he played college football at Dartmouth

Derrick Shepard OL/DL Attended Meadowdale high school in Dayton Ohio and later played college football at Georgia Tech. Shepard was a five year vet of pro football before joining up with the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season. Shepard begin his pro career in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins in 1998. After a season with the Dolphins Shepard played a season with the New England Patriots in 1999 before going indoors and playing in the Arena Football League with the Arizona Rattlers in 2000. In 2001 he returned to the Arizona Rattlers but ended the 2001 AFL season in Detroit with the Fury. In 2002 Shepard played for the AF2's Tennessee Valley Vipers. After a season with the Cincinnati Swarm in 2003 Shepard joined the Af2's Louisville Fire were he played his last three years of his career 2004-2006. Shepard remained active in football after his playing days and in 2008 he became offensive and defensive line coach with the Continental Indoor Football League's Miami Valley Silverbacks and has since been promoted to head coach for the 2009 season

Danny Smith QB – It is unknown where Smith attended high school but Smith attended Miami University in 1994 and later Southern Illinois 1995-1997. Smith played two seasons with the Indoor Football League's Dayton Skyhawks 1999-2000

Tony Locke WR/DB – Attended Urbana high school and later played college football at Ohio State

James Scott WR/LB not much is known about Scott but he did play his college football at the University of Cincinnati. Scott later played pro football in the Indoor Football League with the Dayton Skyhawks in 1999 and with the AF2's Carolina Rhinos in 2000-2001

Mike Leeks WR/LB – not much is known about Leeks but he did play his college football at Graceland. Leeks was a four-year vet of the indoor game when he joined the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season. Leeks began his pro indoor football career in the Indoor Football League with the Lincoln Lighting in 1999 and remained with them through 2000. in 2001 Leeks joined the AFL's Indiana Firebirds for a full season. In 2002 Leeks returned to the Indiana Firebirds but also played that season with the AF2's Louisville Fire.

International players

 * Matt Goreski OL/DL – College Ottawa University
 * Satoru Abe DS College none Abe played in the X League Japan's version on the NFL
 * Mutsumi Takahashi WR/DB college none played in X League

Head Coach
Chris MacKeown- After the Swarm folded in 2003 Chris went on to be the offensive coordinator for the Louisville Fire (af2) 2004 and 2005 seasons. The Special Teams coordinator for the Columbus Destroyers (AFL) 2006 and the Austin Wranglers 2007. In 2007, the Wranglers folded and MacKeown was hired to be the head coach of the Amarillo Dusters (af2) taking the Dusters from a bottom four af2 team to the American Conference ArenaCup Championship game in his only season with the Dusters in 2008. Following the 2008 championship run with the Dusters, MacKeown was hired by John Elway to be the offensive coordinator for the Colorado Crush (AFL).