Friday, December 22, 2017

Howard Bison To Meet Bethune Cookman Wildcats in 35th Circle City Classic

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Indiana Black Expo announced today that the 35th Circle City Classic® will feature the Howard University Bison and Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats. The two clubs will meet Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. This will mark 20 years since both schools played each other in the Circle City Classic®. In 1998, Howard beat B-CU by a score of 32-25 inside the RCA Dome.



"The Circle City Classic is a premier event in college football. We have fond memories of playing in this game in the 90's and look forward to the competition next year," said Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University. "This longstanding classic has a history of showcasing universities on a national scale. We know the game will prove to be an exciting experience for our student athletes, fans and alumni."

"This has been an exciting football season and incredible opening season for Head Coach Mike London," exclaimed Howard University Director of Athletics, Kery Davis. "Next year represents the 125th Anniversary of Howard University football. What better way to celebrate this milestone than to participate in the 35th edition of the prestigious Circle City Classic®. Howard's return to the Classic after a 20 year hiatus will be a great highlight for our student-athletes, the Howard University Showtime Marching Band, perspective students, alumni and the rest of the Bison nation," added Davis.

Howard and B-CU's most recent matchup occurred on September 23 this year. With less than one minute remaining in the 4th quarter, Howard freshman quarterback Caylin Newton ran a 5-yard touchdown, winning the game 26-24. This was the first time Howard beat B-CU at home since 1996. Both football teams have the same record going into the 2018 season. They both have an overall record of 7-4 with a conference record of 6-2.

"We are excited about this year's teams that helped shape the legacy and heritage of the 35th Circle City Classic®. Both prestigious universities have outstanding academic and athletic programs, an enthusiastic alumni base and two of the most entertaining and sought after marching bands in the country," said IBE President & CEO Tanya Bell.

"The longevity of Circle City Classic® speaks to the importance of this event in the city's landscape," said Chris Gahl, senior vice president with Visit Indy. "We feel confident having these two prestigious teams participate in the weekend's activities will not only generate additional tourism spending, it will also bring in business executives capable of racing back to Indy with their convention or corporate meeting. That's very appealing from a tourism standpoint," added Gahl.

Tickets go on sale Monday, December 18, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, the IBE box office located at 3145 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis or via phone at call 317.923.3037.

About the Indiana Black Expo
Indiana Black Expo, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with twelve chapter affiliates in the State of Indiana and hosts two major fundraising events, Summer Celebration and Circle City Classic®. These cornerstone events support year-round youth and family programming, including the Circle City Classic® Scholarship Fund, The Education Day, State of Our Black Youth Initiative, Statewide Education Conference, Parent Leadership Academy, Youth Leadership Summit, OpportunIndy and Youth Media Institute. The Circle City Classic® has awarded more than $4.4 million in scholarships and contributed $8 million annually in economic spending.

About Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 10 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, over 80 Fulbright recipients, 22 Pickering Fellows and one Schwarzman Scholar. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University's website at www.howard.edu.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

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