Virginia University of Lynchburg football team plays first game in decades

Lynchburg, VA - Deep in the third quarter, with zero points on the scoreboard, Virginia University of Lynchburg’s football team pulled off a clutch pass that put the ball in the end zone. “Touchdooooown” boomed the announcer at Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, N.C. to a crowd almost 12,000 spectators.

The contingent of about 200 fans from Lynchburg erupted into cheers.

“They’re coming back, boy. The Dragon’s on the prowl,” said VUL president Ralph Reavis from his perch in the bleachers. Though the VUL Dragons ultimately lost to North Carolina A&T, 38 to 7, the team made history by playing its first game in over five decades.

In 1954, VUL — a small, historically black college nestled behind Campbell Avenue — disbanded its football team. The revival of the football program is part of a large-scale effort to bring back sports on campus. VUL plans to launch a total of 13 men’s and women’s sports teams this year.

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