BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team will make its 15th straight NCAA Division III National Championships appearance and its 17th in the last 18 years after the defending Division III National Runners-Up earned an automatic bid to the postseason with the announcement of the 32-team field Sunday afternoon. UMHB will open its run toward what the Cru hopes will be a third straight Stagg Bowl appearance at home with a First Round game against American Southwest Conference rival Hardin-Simmons University. That game will kick off at 12:00 PM at Crusader Stadium in Belton on Saturday, November 17th.
UMHB is 10-0 overall and went 9-0 in conference play to win the ASC title for the 14th straight season. Hardin-Simmons is 9-1 overall and went 8-1 in the ASC. The Cowboys only loss was a 26-0 defeat at the hands of the Cru in Belton on October 6th. UMHB and HSU will be facing off in the postseason for the fifth time overall but for the first time since the 2015 season.
“It is always fun to play Hardin-Simmons because they are such a big rival,” Cru head coach Pete Fredenburg said. “I hate that we have to play them in the first round, but we understand why so that’s what we are going to do. I think we are both very different teams from the first time we played, so we have to get to work on getting ready for them.”
UMHB has a 36-15 all-time record in the NCAA Division III National Championships and joins Mount Union as the only two Division III programs in the country to win at least one playoff game in each of the last 14 seasons. Hardin-Simmons is in the postseason for the tenth time and the Cowboys are 4-9 overall in the Division III playoffs. The winner of the UMHB/Hardin-Simmons game will advance to play the winner of the Berry College/Maryville College opening round game. The host team for the Second Round will be announced next Sunday afternoon.
The game will be broadcast on K101.7 FM with the pre-game show starting at 11:30 AM on Saturday. UMHB will also provide live video and live statistics for the contest with links to all of the coverage available on the Athletic Department web site at www.cruathletics.com.
Tickets for Saturday’s playoff game will go on sale to previous season ticket holders on Tuesday, November 13th. Ticket sales to previous ticket holders will remain open through Wednesday before going on sale to the general public on Thursday, November 15th. Tickets not claimed by season ticket holders will be released to the general public Thursday morning. The ticket windows at Crusader Stadium will be open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day from Tuesday through Friday. Online ticket sales will open on Thursday. Advance tickets are $10 for reserved seats, $8 for general admission and $4 for students. On Saturday, reserved seats will cost $12, general admission will be $10 and student tickets are $4. The ticket windows will open at 10:00 AM on Saturday.
