For the past four seasons, Sacramento State football fans were lucky to see the finest wide receiver in the history of Hornet football in Fred Amey.

In 2004, the Union City, Calif. native became the second player in school history to be named to Div. I-AA first-team All-America joining running back Charles Roberts, who was named to the 1998 first team after he led the country in rushing in that season.

Amey’s senior season was his best individually, as he set single-season career highs in receptions with his 76 and yards with his 1,186. His reception total broke a school record and his yardage total ranks second in school history. The four-year starter, extended his consecutive games with a catch to 42, each of the games he’s played at Sac State. He also broke the Sacramento State mark for single-game receptions with 15 grabs at Eastern Washington. The previous record of 14 had stood since 1968.

Amey had two of his biggest games in 2004 in two of the team’s three wins. Against Southern Utah in the home opener his eight catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns led the way to a 23-17 victory. Amey had maybe the two biggest plays of the game late in the fourth quarter. His 38-yard catch and run touchdown ultimately would be the deciding points in the game and after that play, Amey made an even bigger one, when his tackle on a Southern Utah punt return stopped a potential go-ahead score and preserved the win after the Hornet defense forced a fumble on that possession.

Amey would outdo himself later in the season as his eight catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns helped the Hornets knock off then No. 22-ranked Montana State 38-28 in the senior’s last Big Sky home contest.

“Every year I looked at MSU as the best team we played,” Amey said. “That game was a big challenge for us.

“They probably took us a little lightly and we took the challenge and played our best game of the year. It was a big win for the whole program. I would say it was the biggest win in my four years at Sac State.”

Amey set a Big Sky record with his career total of 4,049 receiving yards, which also-ranks fourth in Div. I-AA history. His 248 receptions are the second most in league history and they also rank in the Div. I-AA top 10. He also holds four of the top seven single-season reception totals in school history.

Amey also-became just the second player in Div. I-AA history to record 4,000 career receiving yards and 6,000 career all-purpose yards.-Amey is third in school history in punt return yards and is the only player to return punts back for touchdowns twice in his career. “The records really don’t mean much to me, I was just concerned with us trying to win games,” Amey said. “I really never know my records but I guess it’s good to look at in the future to compare myself to the receivers that played in I-AA like the best receiver that ever played in Jerry Rice and see my name up there with him.”

Despite all of his personal achievements, the only thing Amey remembers from his time at Sac State was the team aspect of the game.

“To me the biggest number is 12, which is the amount of wins I’ve had in my time here,” Amey said. “The individual achievements are great, but I’ve only been considered with helping turning this thing around and getting us to win more ballgames.”

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Mitch McLaughlin can be reached at [email protected]