LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (September 10, 2008) – The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania football team returns home this week to meet Fayetteville State University, its first of eight consecutive CIAA opponents, Saturday afternoon at Avon Grove High School beginning at 1:00 p.m. The game can be heard live on www.brandywineradio.com with Ryan Messick calling all of the action. (FSU GAME NOTES) (LU GAME NOTES)
Ticket prices for the game are $15 for reserved seating, $10 for general adult admission and $5 for students with ID. Children under the age of 3 are admitted to the game free. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the game or on-line at Lincoln's website by clicking on the EX-TIXX.logo.
Both teams enter the game looking to bounce back from their first defeats of the 2008 season. Lincoln lost to Southern Virginia, 55-25 and Fayetteville State dropped a 38-28 decision to Presbyterian, a Division I-AA squad. Fayetteville State (1-1) opened the season playing two consecutive Division I-AA teams, defeating North Carolina Central, 33-22, and falling to Presbyterian.
This will be the first meeting in school history between Lincoln and Fayetteville State.
Lincoln sophomore wide receiver Trey Thomas (Canton, GA/Woodstock) (Canton, GA/Woodstock) is coming off a strong game in which he caught eight passes for 148 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. Thomas leads Lincoln in receiving with 16 catches for 220 yards. Senior wide receiver and health science major Steven Rudd (Philadelphia, PA/Southern) (Philadelphia, PA/Southern) has two touchdown catches in two games for Lincoln. Freshman running back and criminal justice major Dwight Williams (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) leads Lincoln in rushing with 141 yards on 25 carries. Lincoln has shown an ability to produce big-plays on offense as it has 21 plays of 10 or more yards.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker and environmental science major Brandon McElwee (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City Junior and Senior HS) (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) and freshman Aaron Coleman (Pittsburgh, PA/McKeesport) (McKeesport, PA/McKeesport) along with freshman defensive back and business major Bruce-Lee Sterile (Miami, FL/North Miami Beach) has contributed big plays in the early part of the season. Lincoln has scored a non-offensive touchdown in each of the first two games. Coleman returned a fumble 36 yards for a touchdown against George Mason. Freshman defensive back Marcus Richardson (Ardmore, PA/Glen Mills) (Ardmore, PA/Glen Mills) returned Sterile's blocked punt 10 yards for a score against Southern Virginia.
Meanwhile, Fayetteville State was 15 minutes from surprising its second consecutive Division I-AA opponent. The Broncos led 28-24 entering the final quarter before Presbyterian took control by holding the ball for over 13 minutes and scoring two touchdowns. Richard Medlin scored three touchdowns for the Broncos against Presbyterian. Medlin finished with 79 yards rushing on 20 carries. Ben Williams filled in admirably at quarterback by completing 17-of-31 passes for 226 yards.
In addition to averaging 30.5 points, Fayetteville State has forced seven turnovers in two games. The Broncos turned North Carolina Central over five times in claiming a 33-22 victory. In that game, the Broncos returned a fumble 79 yards and a blocked punt 21 yards for touchdowns. This is Fayetteville State's third consecutive road game to begin the season and by far its longest road trip.
Next week, Lincoln travels to face reigning CIAA champion Shaw University at Durham County Stadium beginning at 4:00 p.m. Fayetteville State opens league play with its first home game of the season against Saint Paul's College starting at 6:00 p.m.
--LU--
