Home » Home » Panthers Set To Play At NCAA Division II Level

Panthers Set To Play At NCAA Division II Level

By  //  August 7, 2013

11 games SCHEDULED for this fall

 ABOVE VIDEO: In all of the years that Dr. Anthony Catanese has served as a college administrator his support for athletics has never wavered.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE – When Florida Tech takes the gridiron this fall, it will be among 12 new college football programs, according to The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, of that total, a record nine schools are members of the NCAA.

When Florida Tech takes the gridiron this fall, it will be among 12 new college football programs, according to The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, of that total, a record nine schools are members of the NCAA.
When Florida Tech takes the gridiron this fall, it will be among 12 new college football programs, according to The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, of that total, a record nine schools are members of the NCAA.

The Panthers are set to play at the NCAA Division II level. Also starting football at the Division II level is Alderson Broaddus.

FIT will compete in 11 games this fall, with two scheduled against first-year programs Stetson University and Warner University. Stetson, a NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision program located in DeLand, Fla., will oppose the Panthers in FIT’s first game on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. at Palm Bay High School’s Pirate Stadium.

FIT will welcome NAIA member Warner to Melbourne for its Homecoming Game on Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. Before FIT and Stetson meet, the Hatters will kick off against Warner in a battle of two first-year programs on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. in DeLand.

Despite being a first-year program, the Panthers have sold nearly 1,200 season tickets as of Monday, Aug. 5. About 100 season tickets remain in the premium seating section located between the 30 and 40-yard lines at Pirate Stadium for all six home games.

Tickets are $65 for adults and $40 for seniors and children.

Season tickets can be purchased by visiting FloridaTechSports.com

FOOTBALL PROGRAMS LAUNCHING IN 2013

• Alderson Broaddus University (Philippi, W.Va.): NCAA Division II, Independent – President Richard A. Creehan, Athletics Director and Head Coach Dennis Creehan.

• Berry College (Mount Berry, Ga.): NCAA Division III, Southern Athletic Association  – President Stephen R. Briggs, Athletics Director Dr. Tom Hart, Head Coach Tony Kunczewski.

•  Florida Tech (Melbourne, Fla.): NCAA Division II, Gulf South Conference – President Anthony J. Catanese, Athletics Director Bill Jurgens, Jr., Head Coach Steve R. Englehart II.

•  Hendrix College (Conway, Ark.): NCAA Division III, Southern Athletic Association – Interim President Ellis Arnold, Athletics Director Amy Weaver, Head Coach Justin Buchanan.

• Houston Baptist University (Houston, Texas): NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, (Developmental season in 2013, joining the Southland Conference in 2014) – President Robert B. Sloan, Jr., Athletics Director Steve Moniaci, Head Coach Vic Shealy.

•  Mercer University (Macon, Ga.): NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, Pioneer Football League (joining the Southern Conference in 2014) – President William D. Underwood, Athletics Director Jim Cole, Head Coach Bobby Lamb.

• Oklahoma Baptist University (Shawnee, Okla.): NAIA, Central States Football League – President David W. Whitlock, Athletics Director Robert Davenport, Head Coach Chris Jensen.

•  Reinhardt University (Waleska, Ga.): NAIA, Mid-South Conference – President J. Thomas Isherwood, Athletics Director Bill Popp, Head Coach Danny Cronic.

•  Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas): NCAA Division III, Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – President Edward B. Burger, Athletics Director Glada Munt, Head Coach Joe Austin.

•  Stetson University (DeLand, Fla.): NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, Pioneer Football League – President Wendy B. Libby, Athletics Director Jeff Altier, Head Coach Roger Hughes.

• University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.): NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, Independent (starting in 2013 and subsequently joining the Football Bowl Subdivision and Conference USA in 2015) – Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, Athletics Director Judy Rose, Head Coach Brad Lambert.

•  Warner University (Lake Wales, Fla.): NAIA, Independent (2013) – President Greg Hall, Athletics, Director Kevin Jones, Head Coach Jeff Schaum.