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Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team is back in a familiar place, but the Cru is getting ready for an unfamiliar face as UMHB prepares to open the NCAA Division III National Championships this Saturday. The Cru is in the postseason for the sixth straight year and for the eighth time in the last nine seasons, but for the first time in the program's history, UMHB will open against a program from outside the state of Texas. The Cru (9-1, 7-1 American Southwest Conference) will take on the Central (IA) Dutch in a 12:00 PM kickoff Saturday in Pella, Iowa in one of only two first-round match-ups to pair two top ten teams. UMHB is ranked 7
th in the nation by D3football.com and the Cru is #9 in the country in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Meanwhile, Central is ranked 6
th nationally by D3football.com and the Dutch are #5 in the country in this week's AFCA Top 25 Poll. Central is also making its 20
th postseason appearance and the Dutch has advanced to the Stagg Bowl three times, winning the 1974 national championship.
“I am thrilled to be in the playoffs again this year,” Cru head coach
Pete Fredenburg said. “We honestly didn't care who we would play or where we might play. We are just happy to still have a chance to keep playing. This is going to be a real test for us and we are looking forward to the challenge for facing a program like Central.”
Tickets for Saturday's game will be available at the gate and are $8 for adults, $5 for students and $4 for children ages five and under. The game will also be available through a live video stream, a live audio stream and live stats. You can find the link to access that game coverage through the UMHB web site at www.cruathletics.com.
