City of Shenandoah and NCAA Announce the Return of the Stagg Bowl to Shenandoah, December 17-20

City of Shenandoah and NCAA Announce the Return of the Stagg Bowl to Shenandoah, December 17-20

SOTX Athletes and Coaches to Participate; Numerous Media Opportunities Available Throughout the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : December 15, 2019

(Shenandoah, TX) -- The City of Shenandoah and the NCAA are pleased to announce that the NCAA 2019 Division III Football Championship, better known as the Stagg Bowl, will return to the city on Friday, December 20, at Woodforest Bank Stadium. Plans are underway to try and top last year’s event, ultimately won by the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. This year's finalists will be the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and North Central (IL) College. These events will feature NCAA players and coaches as well as athletes and coaches from Special Olympics Texas. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Unified sports and the impact of the athletes on the community!

Players arrive in the city on Tuesday, Dec. 17, and there will be several photo and media opportunities available to local media throughout the week. Those opportunities include the following: 

Wednesday, December 18: 
In addition to daily practices, Wednesday is Local Media Day for the teams; the home team will be available for interviews with local media from 10:30 – 11:30 am and the visitor team will be available from 1:30 – 2:30 pm that day. That evening will be the team banquet at Main Event in Shenandoah, from approximately 6 – 9 p.m.  In addition to the team activities, the NCAA will announce their Elite 90 winner, the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals for each of the NCAA's 90 championships.  Additionally, several student athletes and coaches from Special Olympics Texas, a Main Event and NCAA corporate partner, will also attend the event and enjoy the evening’s activities alongside of NCAA student athletes.  This is the 50th anniversary of the founding of Special Olympics and their theme for the year is “Inclusion Revolution.”  In addition to this event, Special Olympics athletes will also be involved in several other activities throughout the week.  This event is open to college teams and their families, and members of the media will be allowed with a ticket purchase of $75, as part of the proceeds from that night’s event will benefit Special Olympics Texas. Media interested in attending this event must purchase their ticket in advance by noon on Tuesday, Dec. 17th, and should reach out to John Mayner for additional information. 

Thursday, December 19: 
In addition to daily practices, Thursday is the NCAA’s Community Engagement Day. Several student athletes from each team will join a group of Special Olympics Texas athletes to visit two local elementary schools to celebrate the winners of the NCAA’s “Readers Become Leaders” reading competition.

Participating Conroe ISD elementary schools are Lamar and Houser. For the sake of simplifying things for the media, we ask any interested member of the media to attend our event at Lamar Elementary. Great photo opps should abound as the NCAA student athletes and Special Olympics Texas athletes interact and read to students in their classrooms. NOTE: All attendees will be required to check in at the campus front desk, and a picture ID is required.     

Later that evening, both college teams will have the opportunity to attend the world premiere of “Star Wars: Episode IX” at the AMC Metropark Square 10 and IMAX, as part of their “NCAA Team Night” experience. 

Game Day Events and Details for Friday, December 20: 
On Friday, the city will host a large FanFest tailgating event from 3 – 6 p.m.  Kick-off for the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. 

Advance ticket sales must be purchased online, but cash and credit card sales will be available at Woodforest Bank Stadium on game day, subject to availability. All tickets are General Admission Seating.

All ticket purchases include admission:
-To the game;
-To the Stagg Bowl FanFest (3pm-6pm CST). This event is open to the public and free with a Stagg Bowl ticket purchase, and includes: a concert by Texas country recording artist Jason Cassidy; free food and beverage; family-friendly entertainment and games; antique cars; Christmas-themed Longhorn photo op booth; and much more! 
-General admission seating for the game; stadium gates open at 5:30 pm CST.
-FREE stadium parking.

Advance ticket sales must be purchased online. Cash and credit card sales will be available at Woodforest Bank Stadium on game day, Friday Dec. 20th, at the southwest corner ticket booth, nearest the natatorium, on the home side at 2:30 pm, subject to availability, and in advance of the start of FanFest at 3 pm. 

To learn more about this year's 2019 Stagg Bowl, the City of Shenandoah, directions, things to see and do, or where to stay, please go to the City of Shenandoah's Stagg Bowl Page. 

Of additional note, this year's FanFest will include a book signing by Jennifer Taylor Hall, a Texas-born author, who has written the definitive biography of the Stagg Bowl namesake, Amos Alonzo Stagg. "Amos Alonzo Stagg: College Football's Man in Motion" traces the remarkable life of Stagg whole life spanned the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and whose impact in collegiate sports pioneered many of the components of the present game such as tackling dummies, forward pass, the shift and the quick kick. 
 
Should you have any questions, or need additional information regarding event details or the city's role as host, please contact John Mayner, Director, Shenandoah Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 832-585-8090, or by email at jmayner@shenandoahtx.us; for questions relating to Special Olympics Texas and its programs, please contact Rose Stewart, Area 6 Program Director, at 832-418-0319, or via email at rstewart@sotx.org; for questions relating to the NCAA and its community outreach programs, please contact Victor Hill, Associate Director, NCAA Team Works, at 317-614-5606, or via email at vhill@ncaa.org. 

About Special Olympics Texas
Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) is a privately funded non-profit organization that changes lives through the power of sport by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect.  SOTX provides continuing opportunities for more than 58,800 children and adults with intellectual disabilities throughout the Lone Star State to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship.  To learn more, visit www.specialolympicstexas.org or call 800.876.5646.  Engage with us on: Twitter @SOTexas; fb.com/SpecialOlympicsTX; youtube.com/specialolympicstexas.