South Atlantic Conference Football to be Featured in NCAA Division II National Football Showcase
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference be featured as a part of the NCAA Division II Football Showcase, the NCAA announced recently. The Catawba at Newberry contest on Oct. 1 will be featured on ESPN3 and will kickoff at 6:00pm.
"This is a great opportunity for the South Atlantic Conference and two of its member institutions," said South Atlantic Conference Commissioner Patrick Britz. "The game will feature our defending conference champion (Catawba) and another team (Newberry) that made the NCAA playoffs in 2015. We would like to thank the NCAA and ESPN3 for the opportunity to showcase SAC football on a national stage!"
Catawba had a breakout season during the 2015 campaign as it took home the League crown after being picked to finish fourth in the 2015 SAC Preseason Poll. The Catawba Indians finished the 2015 season 9-2 overall and 6-1 in South Atlantic Conference play. Catawba returns the Southeast Region Defensive Player of the Year in junior linebacker Kyle Kitchens. The 2015 All-American piled up 12 sacks a season-ago to go along with 65 tackles, three fumble recoveries and a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown. Offensively, Catawba returns dual-threat quarterback Mike Sheehan. Sheehan accounted for 1,605 yards through the air and connected on eight throws for scores. On the ground, he found the end zone 12 times and posted three 100-yard rushing games.
"We are excited for our program to represent Catawba College and the SAC in this football game being shown on ESPN 3, said Catawba College head football coach Curtis Walker. "It gives us great pride to gain the exposure for our program at the national level. The Newberry football team led by Todd Knight has been a very competitive game over the years and I am certain that it will be another great game for the Catawba fans to enjoy."
Newberry finished fourth in South Atlantic Conference last season. The Wolves closed the year with a 4-3 record in South Atlantic Conference action and a 7-5 mark overall. Newberry returns a pair of offensive studs in quarterback Raleigh Yeldell and running back Romelo Doctor. Yeldell, a second team All-SAC selection in 2015, threw for 167.1 yards per game and fired 13 touchdown strikes during the 2015 season. He also chipped in six scores on the ground. Doctor earned first team All-South Atlantic Conference honors after rushing for 1,235 yards and six touchdowns.
"Our team, our coaching staff and our student body are very excited to put on a great show for a national television audience," said Newberry College head football coach Todd Knight. "Our home games are always well attended and we have some of the best fans in small college football. With a 6:00pm kickoff after Family Weekend and Oktoberfest, I anticipate a tremendous atmosphere and that makes this game even more exciting to me."
Both squads earned bids to the 2015 NCAA Division II Football Championship as the South Atlantic Conference posted three schools to the Championship for the second time in three years. The game will also mark the second-consecutive year that the South Atlantic Conference will be featured as a part of the showcase.
2016 NCAA Division II Football Showcase
Oct. 1 – Catawba at Newberry, 6:00pm