FOOTBALL SELECTED FOR DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
Bulldogs Host West Chester Saturday at Noon
November 12, 2006 - http://www.ncaasports.com/
SMITHFIELD, RI - The Bulldogs are in. For the first time in
the program's young history, the Bryant University football team is
headed to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Bulldogs, seeded No. 3
in the region, will host No. 6 seed West Chester University this
Saturday at Bulldog Stadium. Kickoff will be at noon.
The announcement of the field of 24 teams was made today on ESPN News as the entire Bryant football team and coaches gathered to hear the good news at the Bello Center Sunday.
Bryant (8-2) is in its eighth season as a varsity program and under
the direction of third year coach Marty Fine. The Bulldogs
set a school record with eight wins this season and finished as
co-Champions of the Northeast-10 Conference. Bryant is 10-1
at home in the last two seasons.
West Chester (8-3) finished second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference with a 5-1 conference mark in the Eastern Division. The Golden Rams are averaging 35.5 points per game this season and 405 yards of offense per game.
The winner of the Bryant / West Chester game will advance to the NCAA Division II second round Nov. 25 to face the region's No. 2 seed, Bloomsburg University. Bloomsburg is 10-1 this season.
Merrimack will host Southern Connecticut in the other regional first round game with the winner to face the region's top-seed, Shepherd in the second round.
The first-round dates, sites and pairings are:
November 18 at Midland, Michigan
University of South Dakota (8-3) vs. *Northwood University (8-2)
November 18 at Grand Forks, North Dakota
Winona State University (9-2) vs. *University of North Dakota (9-1)
November 18 at Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Delta State University (9-2) vs. *Elizabeth City State University
(9-2)
November 18 at Newberry, South Carolina
Albany State University (Georgia) (7-3) vs. *Newberry College
(10-1)
November 18 at North Andover, Massachusetts
Southern Connecticut State University (7-3) vs. *Merrimack College
(7-3)
November 18 at Smithfield, Rhode Island
West Chester University of Pennsylvania (8-3) vs. *Bryant
University (8-2)
November 18 at Wichita Falls, Texas
Missouri Western State University (9-2) vs. *Midwestern State
University (9-2)
November 18 at Canyon, Texas
Abilene Christian University (8-2) vs. *West Texas A&M
University (10-1)
*Denotes Host Institution
The following institutions earned first-round byes in each region and also will host a second-round game on November 25, 2006.
Northwest:
1. Grand Valley State University (11-0)
2. University of Nebraska at Omaha (8-2)
Southeast:
1. North Carolina Central University (11-0)
2. University of North Alabama (10-0)
Northeast:
1. Shepherd University (10-0)
2. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (10-1)
Southwest:
1. Northwest Missouri State University(11-0)
2. Chadron State College (11-0)
All contests shall start at noon local time. Other times may be established if approved by the committee.
Grand Valley State defeated Northwest Missouri State in the 2005 national championship game to claim the NCAA title.
The championship game will be played December 16, at Noon Eastern time at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama and will be broadcast live on ESPN. The 2006 championship will mark 21 consecutive years that the Division II championship game has been played in Florence. In addition, both semifinal games will be played on Sunday, December 10. Kick-off will be at either 5:30 p.m. Eastern time or 7 p.m. Eastern time and will air on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
