ECSU FOOTBALL TO FACE CALIFORNIA (PA) IN FIRST ROUND OF NCAA PLAYOFFS

Viking Set to make First NCAA Playoff Appearance Since 2006

November 14, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- The NCAA Division II Football Committee announced Sunday the field of 24 teams for the 2011 NCAA Division II Football Championship.

Elizabeth City State University enters the post season as the #4 seed out of Super Region 1 and will take on California University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 19 in the First Round of the NCAA Playoffs.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00noon on at Adamson Stadium on the campus of California University of Pennsylvania.

It will be the first ever meeting between the two schools. The # 5 seeded Vulcans are 9-2 overall and are ranked #18 in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.

ECSU will be making its third appearance in school history in the NCAA Division II Playoffs (1981, 2006). In 1981 the Vikings lost in the opening round to Northern Michigan 55-6 and in 2006 ECSU hosted its first ever home playoff game and dropped a 17-10 decision to Delta State.

The Vikings and CIAA Champion Winston-Salem State University Rams both earn NCAA post season invites, making it the first time since 2006 (ECSU, North Carolina Central) that the CIAA will have two teams in the playoffs.

The Rams will have a first round bye and will host the winner of the ECSU/CALU matchup next weekend (November 26) in Winston-Salem.

Eight first-round games will be conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions.  In addition, two teams per super regional have earned first-round byes. The first-round winners will all advance to face a bye team in their super regional in the second round on the campus of one of the competing institutions.  Second-round winners will meet in the quarterfinals at various campus sites. Quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Six teams selected per super regional make up the field of 24 teams.