4th Annual College Fanz Sports Network Football Senior Classic This Saturday, April 24th in Salina, Kansas Showcases Over 100 NAIA Gridiron Stars
Salina, Kansas – April 22, 2010 – College Fanz Sports Network, the world’s largest online college sports community launched by ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen, this Saturday presents the fourth annual College Fanz Sports Network Football Senior Classic, at Salina Stadium in Salina, Kansas.
The College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic will pit over 100 former National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football players against one another in a showcase of talent and character.
Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. Central Time. The game will be broadcast live (and available later on-demand) on http://www.collegefanz.com/livestream.jspa.
Kansas Wesleyan University and the city of Salina will host this year’s event capitalizing on the city’s passion for small college football. Salina Stadium is home to the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes football team, with a seating capacity of nearly 7,000, newly-installed synthetic turf, and a new scoreboard installed in 2007. Salina Stadium also has easily accessible parking, press box, locker rooms and other facilities.
“This is truly one of the great small college events and it’s all because of the passion people have for this game,” said Jason Dannelly of College Fanz, the game's founder. “It's a chance to play football one last time, on a national stage in front of friends, family and a ton of fans.”
This Saturday’s College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic brings some of the best seniors from all around the NAIA including 29 All-Americans, giving them one final chance to step out on the field to show off their football skills.
The College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic will feature the Nationals against the Americans with both sides bringing loads of talent on both sides of the ball. The Nationals lead the all-time series 2-1. The full roster and coaching bios, available online at http://naia.collegefanz.com/SeniorClassicProgram-10.pdf, highlight some of the nation’s top senior football players.
The Nationals will be coached by Ottawa University head coach Kent Kessinger, who is in his seventh season as the Braves head football coach. The Braves flew to new heights in 2009 with Kessinger at the helm as he led them to an 11-1 record, including a 9-0 mark in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC). Those 11 wins are a school record. Ottawa won its first KCAC title since the 2003 season and also won the program’s first NAIA playoff game. The Braves hosted the first round of the playoffs for the first time in school history and came from behind to defeat Hastings College, 40-34. For his achievements, Kessinger was honored as the KCAC Coach of the Year and was the first coach from the KCAC (as well as from Ottawa) to be earn the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year award.
The College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic will pit over 100 former National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football players against one another in a showcase of talent and character.
Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. Central Time. The game will be broadcast live (and available later on-demand) on http://www.collegefanz.com/livestream.jspa.
Kansas Wesleyan University and the city of Salina will host this year’s event capitalizing on the city’s passion for small college football. Salina Stadium is home to the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes football team, with a seating capacity of nearly 7,000, newly-installed synthetic turf, and a new scoreboard installed in 2007. Salina Stadium also has easily accessible parking, press box, locker rooms and other facilities.
“This is truly one of the great small college events and it’s all because of the passion people have for this game,” said Jason Dannelly of College Fanz, the game's founder. “It's a chance to play football one last time, on a national stage in front of friends, family and a ton of fans.”
This Saturday’s College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic brings some of the best seniors from all around the NAIA including 29 All-Americans, giving them one final chance to step out on the field to show off their football skills.
The College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic will feature the Nationals against the Americans with both sides bringing loads of talent on both sides of the ball. The Nationals lead the all-time series 2-1. The full roster and coaching bios, available online at http://naia.collegefanz.com/SeniorClassicProgram-10.pdf, highlight some of the nation’s top senior football players.
The Nationals will be coached by Ottawa University head coach Kent Kessinger, who is in his seventh season as the Braves head football coach. The Braves flew to new heights in 2009 with Kessinger at the helm as he led them to an 11-1 record, including a 9-0 mark in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC). Those 11 wins are a school record. Ottawa won its first KCAC title since the 2003 season and also won the program’s first NAIA playoff game. The Braves hosted the first round of the playoffs for the first time in school history and came from behind to defeat Hastings College, 40-34. For his achievements, Kessinger was honored as the KCAC Coach of the Year and was the first coach from the KCAC (as well as from Ottawa) to be earn the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year award.
Spearheading the Nationals offensive attack will be 2nd team All-American quarterback Ethan Haller of Ottawa (Kan.). Haller has pretty much re-written the record books as a Brave including throwing for 4,882 yards and 49 touchdowns this year alone. Over his career he has compiled over 7,700 yards passing and 66 touchdowns while completing nearly 63 percent of his passes during his career.
On defense, the Nationals bring nine All-Americans to the field. First team All-American Logan Lollis of Shorter will lead them. Lollis had a stellar year with 104 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, six passes defended, and one interception.
Coaching the Americans this Saturday is Mike Grossner, who is in his seventh year at the helm of Baker University’s football program, and continues to build the Wildcat program with an infusion of young talent and high-profile transfers. Grossner led the Wildcats to a 7-3 record in 2009 and ended the season ranked 23rd in the nation. Grossner brings a defensive mindset to the Senior Classic as Baker finished sixth in the country in total defense at 262.9 yards per game.
The Americans will be paced on defense by first team All-American defensive back Pagel Williams from Taylor. Williams led the Trojans with 9 pass break ups but he will have his hands full looking to contain the talent the Nationals have at the receiving position.
Offensively, the American’s will be led by a couple of talented wide receivers, first team All-Americans Beau Kildow of Morningside and Jared Elmore of MidAmerica Nazarene. Kildow also garnered first team All-American honors back in 2008. Over his career he has racked up over 3200 yards receiving and pulled in 34 touchdowns as a Mustang. Elmore averaged over 106 yards per game and had 16 touchdowns in 2009 leading the Pioneers to the quarterfinals.
Last year's College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic attracted over 1,200 people in attendance, and 120 student-athlete participants. Last year the Nationals downed the Americans, 24-10 to take the lead in the overall series at 2-1. In 2007 the Americans edged the Nationals, 16-6 while in 2008 the Nationals won, 29-21.
The three previous College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic gridiron tilts led to several players signed to NFL, CFL, AFL, AF2 and other professional contracts. The Scouting Bureau, headed by Steve Brown, as well as numerous NFL, CFL and Arena Football league teams will be attending the game in search of the next great unknown star.
Off the field, the players will speak to area high school students during their visit to Salina. The players will spend time talking about college, character and goal setting.
About College Fanz:
Launched September 7, 2007, 28 years to the day that Bill Rasmussen’s ESPN dream went on the air for the first time, College Fanz Sports Network is the world’s largest online college sports community with students, alumni, and other fans of college sports. College Fanz boasts over 22,000 web pages devoted to more than 1,450 colleges and universities competing in over 225,000 NCAA and NAIA athletic events. Live and on-demand broadcasts of selected college sports events enhance the constantly-evolving content offered on College Fanz. Additional information is available at http://www.collegefanz.com/.
On defense, the Nationals bring nine All-Americans to the field. First team All-American Logan Lollis of Shorter will lead them. Lollis had a stellar year with 104 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, six passes defended, and one interception.
Coaching the Americans this Saturday is Mike Grossner, who is in his seventh year at the helm of Baker University’s football program, and continues to build the Wildcat program with an infusion of young talent and high-profile transfers. Grossner led the Wildcats to a 7-3 record in 2009 and ended the season ranked 23rd in the nation. Grossner brings a defensive mindset to the Senior Classic as Baker finished sixth in the country in total defense at 262.9 yards per game.
The Americans will be paced on defense by first team All-American defensive back Pagel Williams from Taylor. Williams led the Trojans with 9 pass break ups but he will have his hands full looking to contain the talent the Nationals have at the receiving position.
Offensively, the American’s will be led by a couple of talented wide receivers, first team All-Americans Beau Kildow of Morningside and Jared Elmore of MidAmerica Nazarene. Kildow also garnered first team All-American honors back in 2008. Over his career he has racked up over 3200 yards receiving and pulled in 34 touchdowns as a Mustang. Elmore averaged over 106 yards per game and had 16 touchdowns in 2009 leading the Pioneers to the quarterfinals.
Last year's College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic attracted over 1,200 people in attendance, and 120 student-athlete participants. Last year the Nationals downed the Americans, 24-10 to take the lead in the overall series at 2-1. In 2007 the Americans edged the Nationals, 16-6 while in 2008 the Nationals won, 29-21.
The three previous College Fanz Sports Network Senior Classic gridiron tilts led to several players signed to NFL, CFL, AFL, AF2 and other professional contracts. The Scouting Bureau, headed by Steve Brown, as well as numerous NFL, CFL and Arena Football league teams will be attending the game in search of the next great unknown star.
Off the field, the players will speak to area high school students during their visit to Salina. The players will spend time talking about college, character and goal setting.
About College Fanz:
Launched September 7, 2007, 28 years to the day that Bill Rasmussen’s ESPN dream went on the air for the first time, College Fanz Sports Network is the world’s largest online college sports community with students, alumni, and other fans of college sports. College Fanz boasts over 22,000 web pages devoted to more than 1,450 colleges and universities competing in over 225,000 NCAA and NAIA athletic events. Live and on-demand broadcasts of selected college sports events enhance the constantly-evolving content offered on College Fanz. Additional information is available at http://www.collegefanz.com/.
Media Contact:
Jim DeLorenzo
Jim DeLorenzo
215-564-1122