Shippensburg-West Chester Football Game to be Televised by CBS-College Sports
NCAA Release
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East football game between Shippensburg and West Chester this upcoming season has been selected to be televised live on the CBS-College Sports Network as a part of the Division II television contract between the NCAA and CBS-CS. This will be the second PSAC game to be televised as part of that TV package, following the Slippery Rock-IUP contest back in the 2006 season.
The game, scheduled to be played at West Chester's Farrell Stadium, has been moved to Thursday night, October 7 at 8:00 p.m. to accommodate the national broadcast. The CBS-College Sports Network, formerly known at CSTV, is available on most cable and satellite systems.
“We are very fortunate and extremely excited that CBS has selected this game for its television package,” West Chester University director of athletics Dr. Edward M. Matejkovic said. “This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase our student-athletes and our institution on the national stage. Both programs annually contend for the PSAC East title, and the game is sure to carry playoff implications with it this year as well.”
“This is a great opportunity for our players,” West Chester head coach Bill Zwaan added. “They are really excited to play on national TV. It is a big game for both schools, and to play it in prime time is extra special.”
Shippensburg will enter the 2010 season as the defending PSAC champions after the Red Raiders won their first PSAC title since 1981 last season. The Red Raiders also won their first outright PSAC divisional title since 1981 last year and their first of any type since 2004. They will face off against a perennial PSAC East contender in West Chester, who missed the NCAA playoffs for the first time in the last five seasons last year.
"We're pleased to be part of the CBS-College Sports television package once again this upcoming season," said PSAC commissioner Steve Murray. "We appreciate the NCAA's ongoing efforts in helping to showcase the PSAC and our student-athletes and all of Division II to a national audience."
The six-game package is the fifth since Division II and CBS College Sports Network established their partnership to provide Division II schools live national television exposure for their football and basketball programs.
“Our partnership with CBS College Sports Network has provided a national platform to help us tell the Division II story,” said Division II Vice President Mike Racy. “During the past four years, we have brought the national TV spotlight to more than 50 Division II campuses, for more than 100 Division II colleges and universities, to showcase regular-season competition to a national audience.”
“We look forward to this opportunity to highlight Shippensburg University and its outstanding student athletes before an audience of more than 20 million people,” said Shippensburg President William N. Ruud. “We are very proud of the team for what it has accomplished on the field as it looks to defend its conference championship.”
“Shippensburg University is excited about the opportunity to participate in the NCAA football broadcast,” added Jeff Michaels, Shippensburg acting director of athletics. “This is exciting for the university, student athletes and the Shippensburg community.”
Information from the NCAA, Shippensburg and West Chester releases was used in this announcement