Courtesy of Worcester State Sports Information

Worcester State's senior running back, Kemani Jones (Milton, Mass.) has signed with the Porvoon Butchers of the European Football League (EFL) and will be headed overseas upon graduating in May with a Bachelor's degree in business and a concentration in accounting.

Jones was named to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) All-Conference teams for the 2015 season. Jones was awarded second-team All-Conference for his offensive skills at running back. He also earned a spot of the first-team All-Conference in 2014.

Jones played in all 10 games for the Lancers this past season. During the 2015 season, Jones rushed for a total of 1,101 yards, breaking the all-time school record for a career rushing total of 3,095 yards. Also this season, Jones met the all-time rushing touchdown record at Worcester State in a single game with four in a 53-27 win over Westfield State. In the 2014 season, he broke the school record in single game rushing yards with 1,275 with 15 touchdowns.

Jones averaged 110.1 rushing yards per game, and averaged five receptions for 39.5 yards per game (50 for 395 total). He has tallied up 13 rushing touchdowns, and two receiving touchdowns on the season, giving the Lancers a total of 92 points on the season. 

Reflect on your collegiate career with Worcester State.

I would say I had a pretty successful career at Worcester state. I had a few bumps in the road but with the support of some great coaches I was able to stay strong, mature, and bounced back. I had a breakout junior year in my 2014 campaign. I broke the school record in rushing yards in a season, we finished 7-3, and I acquired many accolades. Senior season was a bit disappointing but helped me build character and learn how to deal with tough situations.

How does it feel to have been recruited to go overseas and join teammate Trevor Vasey?

I think this is a great opportunity to play professional football with someone I previously played with. Trevor and I will have great chemistry and develop a stronger relationship moving forward with our careers. It will be great to be in a foreign country with a familiar face and someone I live with currently.

What are you expecting out of this opportunity?

My main expectation is to continue pursing my football career and win a championship with the Butchers. I also look to gain an experience of being in a different cultural environment and, simply, to continue doing what I love, playing football.

What are your long-term goals?

Within the next 10+ years I plan to have a stable job, hopefully running a firm as a manager or even owning one. I also can see myself being an assistant coach or even a positional coach in the future. I have a strong understanding of the game and enjoy helping others learn from my knowledge.

Is there any advice you have been given by family, friends, coaches that helped guide in your playing career?

My father has been a major impact on my life and I cannot thank him enough for being by my side since birth. He never gives up on me when some others may and always has positive feedback on decisions I make whether they were good or bad.

Is there any advice you'd want to share with fellow student-athletes at Worcester State?

I obviously have to preach about grades because you all are STUDENT-athletes and the student comes first. Keep in mind, that, without the grades you cannot be an eligible athlete. Also I would like to let the student athletes know to take full advantage of the opportunity to play collegiate sports. It goes by fast and people would give up anything to be a collegiate athlete. Lastly, I just want to say never let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish a goal you have set in life because it's your life to live, not theirs.