Belton, TX – Former University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football player Bryson Tucker has signed a free-agent contract with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Tucker will play running back for the Stampeders and reports to rookie training camp on May 30^th. Full-team training camp for Calgary opens June 2^nd and the Stampeders 2012 season kicks off with an exhibition game against the Edmonton Eskimos on June 15^th.

Tucker was a four-year letterman for the Cru from Caldwell High School. He was one of the most versatile players in UMHB football history and is the only Cru player to account for a touchdown in six different ways: passing, receiving, rushing, punt return, kick return, and fumble return. Tucker spent most of his career as a defensive back and finished with 146 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He also rushed for 1,230 yards and 11 touchdowns as a running back, caught four passes for 25 yards and a touchdown, averaged 21.3 yards per kickoff return and 12.3 yards per punt return and returned three combined kicks for touchdowns during his career. Tucker was an AFCA and D3football.com All-American as a senior and was also a three-time American Southwest Conference All-Conference selection. Tucker played for four ASC championship teams, four NCAA postseason qualifiers and a pair of national semifinalist teams at UMHB. He also spent part of the 2010 season playing for the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League.

"This feels really good for me, to have this opportunity," Tucker said. "I put in a lot of hard work since I graduated and it is starting to pay off. This is definitely a blessing for me."

Tucker was signed out of a free-agent workout and minicamp in Florida earlier this spring. He is the fourth UMHB football alum to get a shot with a professional team this spring. Tucker joins Jerrell Freeman (free agent – Indianapolis Colts), Nate Menkin (undrafted free agent – Houston Texans) and Damian Davis (rookie tryout – New York Giants).