June 9, 2006

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner University (Ala.) will throw its helmut onto the field of NAIA Football, announcing the beginning of a varsity football program on Tuesday, June 13.  The press conference, slated for the Capital City Club, will feature Auburn University's Tommy Tuberville, who will introduce Faulkner's first head coach.

The school plans on competing at the varsity level starting in the fall of 2007 and will compete as an independent in the NAIA.  Faulker becomes the second school in the Southern States Athletic Conference to start a program.  Shorter College (Ga.) started last season.

"We're looking at our enrollment going up, which is one more reason to start it," said Joey Wiginton, the school vice president who oversees the athletic department. "Any time we see an opportunity to help our students and help the university at the same time, we want to do it."

Last fall, the school began feasibility studies on adding the sport.  Since that time, conversations around the campus have centered on the possibility, Wiginton said.

These conversations have overshadowed other measures, such as Faulkner's law school's effort to garner American Bar Association accreditation.

"Football has created a lot of excitement," Wiginton said. "I'm just excited about announcing it so we can move on to something else. It's dominated everything we've done."

It is rumored that a "bare minimum" of $1.5 million is needed to start football and cover additional infrastructure for an expected larger enrollment.  Because of the team, Faulkner expects more students, plans to build a 150-bed dormitory and will expand its on-campus dining facility.

Faulkner Press Conference
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
11:30 a.m.
Capital City Club
Montgomery, Alabama

For more information, contact Doug Amos at 334-386-7153 or damos@faulkner.edu