HAMILTON, Ontario — Former Old Dominion University football running back Ray Lawry has signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Tiger-Cats announced on Tuesday. "This is another opportunity for me to get out there and do what I love to do," Lawry said. "It's not where I planned to be but everything happens for a reason and I'm looking to make a name for myself and work my butt of to get back to the NFL. Hamilton is a good, established team and is a good fit for me."
Lawry is the all-time leading rusher in ODU history with 4,080 yards on 660 carries and ended his career as the all-time FBS leader in rushing yards in the state of Virginia. He is tied for third in C-USA history with 45 rushing touchdowns and ninth in rushing yards. He finished his ODU career with 21, 100-yard rushing games, including a career-best 223-yards in the 2015 season-opening win at Eastern Michigan.
He is the only player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, doing it twice. He led Conference USA with 1,155 yards as a sophomore in 2015 and secured an ODU single-season record with 1,255 yards and helped ODU to a 10-3 record and was named the offensive MVP in ODU's win over Eastern Michigan in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.
He was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2014 when he rushed for 947-yards and 16 touchdowns, while catching 17 passes for 155-yards. He was twice named C-USA honorable mention and earned second-team All-C-USA honors in 2015, when he led the league in rushing.
Lawry originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals before signing with the Kansas City Chiefs and playing in one preseason game.