{{Short description|American football player (born 1989)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Dwayne Hollis | image = Dwayne Hollis.jpg | caption = Hollis with the Philadelphia Soul in 2017 | current_team = | number = | position = Defensive back | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|7|7}} | birth_place = Newport News, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 9 | weight_lbs = 184 | high_school = Denbigh (Newport News) | college = North Carolina Wesleyan | undraftedyear = 2013 | pastteams = * Helsinki Roosters (2013) * Lehigh Valley Steelhawks ({{PIFL Year|2014}}) * Trenton Freedom ({{PIFL Year|2015}})* * Philadelphia Soul ({{AFL Year|2015}}–{{AFL Year|2018}}) * Shanghai Skywalkers ({{CAFL Year|2016}}–{{CAFL Year|2018}}) * Atlanta Legends ({{AAF Year|2019}}) * Philadelphia Soul ({{AFL Year|2019}}) * Albany Empire ({{NAL Year|2022}}–{{NAL Year|2023}}) * Orlando Predators ({{NAL Year|2023}}) * Corpus Christi Tritons (2025) * Billings Outlaws ({{IFL Year|2025}}) | status = | highlights = * 2× ArenaBowl champion (2016, 2017) * First-team All-Arena (2017) * 2× Second-team All-Arena (2016, 2018) * AFL Defensive Back of the Year ({{AFL Year|2017}}) * CAFL All-Pro South Division All-Star ({{CAFL Year|2016}}) * First-team All-PIFL ({{PIFL Year|2014}}) * PIFL Special Teams Player of the Year (2014) * Finnish National Championship Vaahteramalja (2013) * AFCA All-American (2012) * 3× First-team All-USA South DB (2010–2012) * 2× First-team All-USA South KR (2011, 2012) | aflstatlabel1 = Tackles | aflstatvalue1 = 287.5 | aflstatlabel2 = Pass breakups | aflstatvalue2 = 39 | aflstatlabel3 = Interceptions | aflstatvalue3 = 21 | afl = 13050 }} '''Dwayne Hollis''' (born July 7, 1989) is an American professional football defensive back. He played college football at North Carolina Wesleyan College. He has been a member of the Helsinki Roosters, Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, Trenton Freedom, Philadelphia Soul, Shanghai Skywalkers, Atlanta Legends, Albany Empire, Orlando Predators, Corpus Christi Tritons, and Billings Outlaws.
==Early life== Hollis attended Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia.<ref name=roosters>{{cite web |url=https://www.dailypress.com/2013/09/26/hollis-road-from-denbigh-to-finland/ |title=Hollis' road: From Denbigh to Finland |date=September 23, 2013 |publisher=Daily Press Media Group |work=www.dailypress.com |access-date=May 18, 2017}}</ref>
==College career== Hollis played for the North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops from 2009 to 2012 and helped the Battling Bishops to 20 wins. As a sophomore, Hollis was named First Team All-USA South Athletic Conference as a Defensive Back. As a junior and senior, Hollis was named First Team All-USA South Athletic Conference as both a kick returner and as a defensive back.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.ncwcsports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/releases/20121115aaymd6 |title=USA South Announces Postseason Football Awards |date=November 15, 2012 |publisher=North Carolina Wesleyan College Athletics |website=www.ncwcsports.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> Hollis was also named an All-American at defensive back by the American Football Coaches Association.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.ncwcsports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/releases/20121210jywy4y |title=Congratulations to Football's Dwayne Hollis |date=December 15, 2012 |publisher=North Carolina Wesleyan College Athletics |website=www.ncwcsports.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref>
==Professional career== Hollis signed with the Helsinki Roosters of Vaahteraliiga in 2013.<ref name=roosters />
Hollis returned to the United States in 2014 when he signed with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL). Hollis was named First Team All-League as both a defensive back and kick returner.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/07/lehigh_valley_steelhawks_dwayn.html |title=Lehigh Valley Steelhawks' Dwayne Hollis earns Professional Indoor Football League honors |date=July 8, 2014 |publisher=PennLive LLC |work=www.lehighvalleylive.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> Hollis was also named the PIFL's Special Teams Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/07/steelhawks_dwayne_hollis_named.html |title=Steelhawks' Dwayne Hollis named Pro Indoor Football League Special Teams Player of the Year |author=Josh Folck |date=July 17, 2014 |publisher=PennLive LLC |work=www.lehighvalleylive.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> Hollis was the only defensive player in the PIFL to lead his team in all-purpose yardage.
Hollis signed with the PIFL's Trenton Freedom for 2015, but he placed on the other league exempt list before the season began.
On October 6, 2014, Hollis was assigned to the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League (AFL).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=transactions&type=old&team=99 |title=Philadelphia Soul Historical Transactions |publisher=ArenaFan |work=www.arenafan.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> On October 9, 2015, Hollis had his rookie option exercised by the Soul. Hollis was named Second Team All-Arena following the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/all-arena-defensive-backs-return-romain-and-hollis-added-to-the-2017-roster/n-5231898 |title=All-Arena Defensive Back Returns Romain and Hollis Added to the 2017 roster |date=January 30, 2017 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> Hollis helped lead the Soul to an ArenaBowl XXIX championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://talksportsphilly.com/2016/08/philadelphia-soul-arenabowl-champions-silence-the-rattlers/ |title=Philadelphia Soul ArenaBowl Champions, Silence the Rattlers! |date=August 28, 2016 |publisher=TalkSportsPhilly.com |work=www.talksportsphilly.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> Hollis was once again assigned to the Soul for the 2017 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.csnphilly.com/philadelphia-soul/james-romain-dwayne-hollis-will-return-soul-roster-2017-season |title=James Romain, Dwayne Hollis will return to Soul roster for 2017 season |author=Tom Ignudo |date=February 1, 2017 |publisher=Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, L.P. |work=www.csnphilly.com |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> He earned AFL Defensive Back of the Year and First Team All-Arena honors in 2017.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafootball.com/articles/philadelphias-hollis-named-defensive-back-of-the-year | title=Philadelphia's Hollis Named Defensive Back of the Year | publisher=arenafootball.com | date=August 22, 2017 | accessdate=August 23, 2017 | url-status=usurped | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823220713/http://www.arenafootball.com/articles/philadelphias-hollis-named-defensive-back-of-the-year | archivedate=August 23, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafootball.com/articles/afl-announces-all-arena-first-and-second-teams | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916034752/http://www.arenafootball.com/articles/afl-announces-all-arena-first-and-second-teams | url-status=usurped | archive-date=September 16, 2017 | title=AFL Announces All-Arena First and Second Teams | publisher=arenafootball.com | date=August 21, 2017 | accessdate=September 15, 2017}}</ref> On August 26, 2017, the Soul beat the Tampa Bay Storm in ArenaBowl XXX by a score of 44–40.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafootball.com/articles/soul-snare-second-straight-foster-trophy-in-arenabowl-xxx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827235503/http://www.arenafootball.com/articles/soul-snare-second-straight-foster-trophy-in-arenabowl-xxx | url-status=usurped | archive-date=August 27, 2017 | title=Soul Snare Second Straight Foster Trophy in ArenaBowl XXX | publisher=arenafootball.com | accessdate=August 27, 2017}}</ref>
Hollis was selected by the Shanghai Skywalkers in the third round of the 2016 CAFL draft.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://caflfootball.com/cafl-draft-results-are-in/ | title=CAFL DRAFT RESULTS – SEE IT AGAIN – FULL RESULTS HERE | publisher=caflfootball.com | date=June 11, 2016 | accessdate=October 18, 2016 | archive-date=October 17, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017192935/http://caflfootball.com/cafl-draft-results-are-in/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> He was named an All-Pro South Division All-Star.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://caflfootball.com/the-cafl-has-announced-their-2016-all-pro-south-division-all-stars/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107023136/http://caflfootball.com/the-cafl-has-announced-their-2016-all-pro-south-division-all-stars/ |archivedate=November 7, 2016 |title=The CAFL has announced their 2016 All-Pro South Division All-Stars |publisher=caflfootball.com |date=November 4, 2016 |accessdate=November 6, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is listed on the Skywalkers' roster for the 2018 season.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://caflfootball.com/shanghai-skywalkers-2017-roster/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929183925/http://caflfootball.com/shanghai-skywalkers-2017-roster/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 29, 2017 | title=Shanghai Skywalkers 2017 Roster | publisher=caflfootball.com | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=September 29, 2017}}</ref>
In 2019, Hollis joined the Alliance of American Football's Atlanta Legends.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/atlanta-legends-set-final-roster-for-2019-inaugural-season-under-head-coach-kevin-coyle/n-5443053|title=Atlanta Legends Set Final Roster for 2019 Inaugural Season Under Head Coach Kevin Coyle|work=Our Sports Central|date=January 30, 2019|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}</ref>
Hollis was placed on the league suspension list as a member of the Soul on March 20, 2019, after he signed with the Legends of the AAF. After the AAF suspended football operations, he was activated from league suspension by the Soul on April 6, 2019.
On November 26, 2021, Hollis signed with the Albany Empire of the National Arena League (NAL).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/stats#/1200/transactions?team_id=142674|title=2022 NAL Transactions|work=nationalarenaleague.com}}</ref> On December 5, 2022, Hollis re-signed with the Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/stats#/1200/transactions?division_id=20722|title=2023 NAL Transactions|work=nationalarenaleague.com}}</ref> On May 5, 2023, Hollis was released by the Empire.
On May 8, 2023, Hollis signed with the Orlando Predators of the NAL.
Hollis began the 2025 Arena Football One season as a member of the Corpus Christi Tritons. He was among ten players who left the Tritons on April 29, amid an ongoing investigation into the Tritons' finances.<ref name=":0" />
On May 1, 2025, Hollis signed with the AF1's Billings Outlaws, along with three other former Tritons players.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Shinder |first1=Adam |title=Darius Prince, Dwayne Hollis join Albany Firebirds' biggest rival |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/darius-prince-dwayne-hollis-sign-billings-outlaws-20303422.php |website=Times Union |access-date=27 June 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [http://www.ncwcsports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/hollis_dwayne_czc8 North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops bio]
{{ArenaBowl XXIX}} {{ArenaBowl XXX}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hollis, Dwayne}} Category:Living people Category:1989 births Category:Players of American football from Newport News, Virginia Category:American football defensive backs Category:North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops football players Category:Lehigh Valley Steelhawks players Category:Trenton Freedom players Category:Philadelphia Soul players Category:Shanghai Skywalkers players Category:Atlanta Legends players Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Finland Category:American expatriate sportspeople in China Category:American expatriate players of American football Category:Albany Empire (NAL) players Category:Orlando Predators (2019–) players Category:Vaahteraliiga players Category:Arena Football One (2025) players Category:Billings Outlaws players