RANDY MCAULEY SIGNS CFL DEAL WITH ARGOS

TORONTO - Former Western Mustangs star running back Randy McAuley will get the opportunity to take his game to the next level, inking a deal Friday with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts.

The 22-year-old Londoner played four seasons at Western where he finished fifth on the Mustangs' all-time rushing list. Recently named Western's Male Athlete of the Year, McAuley will be reunited with former Mustang teammate and current Argo receiver Christian Heffernan and former Mustang lineman Jude St. John.

"I'm feeling good," McAuley said. "It's a win-win situation for me. I get the chance to experience a professional camp. And they have shown an interest in me. They don't waste their time on players at this level so it's a great chance for me and shows they see something in me."

McAuley play football and ran on Western's track team during his four years as a Mustang.

"With Toronto, I get to play close to home," he said. "I've got a lot of buddies on the Toronto team."

"Toronto's a great organization, they're committed to winning," he added. "They're a close family and they've got a great attitude within their organization."

While Argos training camp opens on June 2, McAuley will also attend rookie camp which opens early next week.

"This will be an exciting opportunity for Randy," said Mustangs track and field coach Vickie Croley. "Randy is not only an outstanding athlete but also an outstanding individual. He will be a great addition to the Argos in many respects. I look forward to seeing Randy rise to this next challenge."

The 5'10\", 195-pound McAuley attended London's Catholic Central High School, where he was recruited by Penn State before electing to attend Western.

\"McAuley is a young man who had a tremendous CIS career but struggled with injuries in his senior season,\" says Argos Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel Greg Mohns. \"After working him out, however, we realized that he had tremendous speed and will add quality depth to a backfield that already has productive Canadians.\"

About Randy McAuley
Position:Running Back
Height: 5'10"
Weight:195 lbs.
Born:Oct. 1, 1984
Birthplace:London, Ont.

Acquired:Signed as a free agent with Toronto on May 18, 2007
College: Played four seasons at the University of Western Ontario (2003-2006) where he placed himself in fifth place on the Mustangs' all-time rushing list"¦2006 Named the of the Western Mustangs Male Athlete of the Year"¦Ran 16 times for 185 yards and one touchdown in an October 9th win"¦ 2005 Earned Second-Team OUA honours"¦ Played in eight regular season games and two playoff games for the Mustangs at running back including the Yates Cup versus Wilfrid Laurier"¦ Finished the season with 725 yards on 109 carries... Also added five catches for 89 yards and a team-leading 196 kickoff return yards to accompany 34 punt return yards"¦ Moved into fourth on the Mustangs' all-time kick return list"¦ 2004 Named to the Second-Team OUA squad... Finished the year with 735 yards and a team-leading 14 touchdowns on 98 carries"¦ Added 150 yards on 10 receptions and 221 yards on 11 kickoff returns"¦ Participated in the annual East West Bowl and was named game MVP after rushing for 41 yards and returning a kickoff 104 yards for a major"¦ 2003 Rushed for 694 yards (LG 90) and five touchdowns on 91 carries in his rookie season at Western.

Personal:McAuley was teammates at Western with Argo receiver Christian Heffernan. Together, they helped form a quartet on the track and field circuit that set the CIS record in relay time in 2004 after running a 3:13.23. He also won a gold medal in the individual 60m and a Bronze medal in the individual 300m at the 2004 CIS track championship. He attended Catholic Central High School in London, and he was recruited by Penn State before electing to attend Western.

(Source: Andy Watson, Western Mustangs, Sports Information)