BOT approves football at Pacific
17 years later, the program is back
Devin Higgins
Issue date: 5/14/09 Section: News
The 2009 graduating class of Pacific University was the first to get the news on Saturday, May 23, during commencement.
Boxer football is back.
Pacific's board of trustees, after a four-hour session, voted Friday, May 22 to reinstate the program which had been dissolved in February 1992, after 99 years of play in Forest Grove.
"It is an exciting day for Pacific University, Boxer athletics and the Northwest Conference," said Pacific Director of Athletics Ken Schumann. "I am confident that the University will be rewarded with a football program which attracts top quality student-athletes who will be successful in the classroom and on the field. I am grateful to the Board in their confidence that we can build a competitive, successful Division III program."
Schumann, who along with John Hayes, Dean of Arts and Sciences at Pacific, spearheaded the campaign to resurrect the program as early as 2005.
"Athletics is a key component for the continued growth of the University and, in particular, its undergraduate programs," said retiring Pacific University President Phil Creighton. "Our football program will aid our recruitment efforts significantly, helping Pacific to continue to grow into one of the finest health professions and liberal arts institutions in the west."
With the decision being finalized, the focus now turns to assembling a coaching staff, recruitment of players and finalizing locations for the team to practice and play its home games.
As of Monday, no names of potential coaching applicants have been released.
Pacific, like all Division III schools, is not allowed to offer athletic scholarships to student-athletes. Like their 20 other athletic programs, Pacific football will join the Northwest Conference, where they will play local colleges like Lewis and Clark, who considered dropping football recently, and powerhouse Linfield, who has not had a losing season since 1955. The streak is the longest ever, at any level of NCAA athletics.
There is also no confirmation on where the team will practice or play home games. Per the current contract agreement with the City of Forest Grove, who owns the Lincoln Park Complex, football cannot be played there. The current options, as reported earlier in the year by The Forest Grove News-Times, include Forest Grove High School's newly refurbished football field and Hillsboro Stadium, approximately 15 miles outside of the city.
Both Schumann and Hayes said, earlier this year, that Lincoln Park would be the most likely home for the Boxers. However, they also admitted to having to renegotiate with the city before that would be finalized.
The 100th season of Pacific football is scheduled to kickoff in the fall of 2010, provided the raising all of the necessary start-up expenses is achieved.
Boxer football is back.
Pacific's board of trustees, after a four-hour session, voted Friday, May 22 to reinstate the program which had been dissolved in February 1992, after 99 years of play in Forest Grove.
"It is an exciting day for Pacific University, Boxer athletics and the Northwest Conference," said Pacific Director of Athletics Ken Schumann. "I am confident that the University will be rewarded with a football program which attracts top quality student-athletes who will be successful in the classroom and on the field. I am grateful to the Board in their confidence that we can build a competitive, successful Division III program."
Schumann, who along with John Hayes, Dean of Arts and Sciences at Pacific, spearheaded the campaign to resurrect the program as early as 2005.
"Athletics is a key component for the continued growth of the University and, in particular, its undergraduate programs," said retiring Pacific University President Phil Creighton. "Our football program will aid our recruitment efforts significantly, helping Pacific to continue to grow into one of the finest health professions and liberal arts institutions in the west."
With the decision being finalized, the focus now turns to assembling a coaching staff, recruitment of players and finalizing locations for the team to practice and play its home games.
As of Monday, no names of potential coaching applicants have been released.
Pacific, like all Division III schools, is not allowed to offer athletic scholarships to student-athletes. Like their 20 other athletic programs, Pacific football will join the Northwest Conference, where they will play local colleges like Lewis and Clark, who considered dropping football recently, and powerhouse Linfield, who has not had a losing season since 1955. The streak is the longest ever, at any level of NCAA athletics.
There is also no confirmation on where the team will practice or play home games. Per the current contract agreement with the City of Forest Grove, who owns the Lincoln Park Complex, football cannot be played there. The current options, as reported earlier in the year by The Forest Grove News-Times, include Forest Grove High School's newly refurbished football field and Hillsboro Stadium, approximately 15 miles outside of the city.
Both Schumann and Hayes said, earlier this year, that Lincoln Park would be the most likely home for the Boxers. However, they also admitted to having to renegotiate with the city before that would be finalized.
The 100th season of Pacific football is scheduled to kickoff in the fall of 2010, provided the raising all of the necessary start-up expenses is achieved.