Thursday July 24, 2003 Online Since 1996 Vol. 77 No. 54

The Appalachian | News
Elon Phoenix join Mountaineers in SoCon by Tabitha Butts
Contributing Writer

Jessica Hines | The Appalachian
Elon University’s Rhodes Stadium will play host to the Mountaineer football team Nov. 8 at the Phoenix’s homecoming game in Elon.
    The Southern Conference underwent a major change as the new fiscal year got underway July 1.
   The Phoenix of Elon University were inducted to the nations oldest conference and will begin play against Appalachian State University and other SoCon teams this season.
   Elon was invited to join the conference a year ago when the Virginia Military Institute announced its departure to the Big South Conference.
   So, what does this mean for Appalachian?
   Head football coach Jerry Moore and assistant coach Mark Speir said it means a chance to compete against familiar faces.
    Moore has known Elon’s head football coach Al Seagraves since his former coaching job at The Citadel.
    “It’s great that we’re going to get a chance to play Elon,” Moore said. “[Seagraves] is an excellent football coach and it will be one of the biggest challenges of the year.”
    Appalachian football will kick off against Elon for the first time Nov. 8 at Elon for their homecoming game.
    Speir, a new addition to the Mountaineer coaching staff and a former Elon coach of 3 years, said he is looking forward to that day.
    “It will be exciting playing at homecoming to a packed house,” he said. “They always play good on homecoming.”
    Appalachian athletic director Roachel Laney said he thinks the addition of Elon will be a good change.
    “We’re losing VMI, but Elon’s coming in will be much more competitive across the board.” He said. “They’re a good fit for the Southern Conference.”
    Not only will Elon bring new athletic challenges to ASU, but also academic challenges, Laney said.
    “Elon is a very well recognized academic institution. The profile of an Elon student almost mirrors that of an ASU student,” Laney said.
    “ They are our No. 1 competitor of recruiting students in the state,” he said.
    Because of the short distance between ASU and Elon, the future could perhaps rekindle an old rivalry.
    Laney said he hopes so.
    “We’re losing East Tennessee [State University] as a football team and as a result will be losing that rivalry,” he said. “Maybe later on Elon will move into that type of situation.”
    Jason Nichols, assistant football coach, is also looking forward to that chance.
    “It’s a good deal [Elon joining]. It will be a good rivalry,” he said.
    Despite the consensus of the athletic department, a group of alumni disagrees that this change will be a good one, Laney said.
    “They question if Elon is worthy of the conference,” he said. “They think Elon is below level … they are thinking of the Elon from 25 years ago.”
    Appalachian and Elon were opponents in the Carolina’s Conference until the Mountaineers moved up SoCon in 1971.
    Now it’s Elon’s turn to move up and Laney said he holds nothing but admiration and high praises for them.
    “They have made a commitment to athletics and I commend them,” he said.		  
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