Saint Xavier University Hosts Special Assembly for NAIA Championship Football Team

Local and State Legislators Join Historic Celebration

Chicago (Jan. 12, 2011) State Senator Ed Maloney, Alderman Matt O’Shea, and state Representatives Kelly Burke and Bill Cunningham will join SXU President Christine Wiseman at a historic special assembly hosted by the Saint Xavier University Athletics Department on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 3:30 p.m. This special assembly in the Shannon Center, 3700 West 103rd Street, will honor the remarkable achievements of our winning football team that captured the 2011 NAIA National Championship last month with its 24/20 victory over six-time national champion Carroll College of Montana. This is the first time since 1913 that a Chicago school has won a national football championship, and it’s the first time in our 41-year history of Saint Xavier University Athletics that we have garnered a national championship. Additionally, this is also the first time a college football team from the state of Illinois has won a national championship since Augustana College won its last one of four straight national titles in 1986.

“It is going to be one of the greatest afternoons in the history of SXU Athletics,” said Saint Xavier University Athletic Director Bob Hallberg. “We anticipate a large turnout from the community as well as University faculty, staff, and especially students as we celebrate this historic experience.”

The SXU Football team finished up its historic campaign with a 14-1 overall record and the NAIA’s No. 1 ranking in the 2011 NAIA Football Coaches’ Postseason Top 25 Poll. The Cougars also held the No. 1 ranking for eight weeks (Sept. 12 to Oct. 31) during the regular season marking the first time a SXU varsity team has received the top spot in school history.

“We are so proud of the historic accomplishments of our football team winning the first-ever national championship during our first-ever title appearance,” said John Pelrine, V.P. of Student Affairs for SXU. “Our football players are outstanding athletes who worked hard as a team to secure this championship and work equally as hard individually to reach their goals as SXU students.”

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Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu