HICKORY, NC - Lenoir-Rhyne will face off against the Dragons from Tiffin University at home this Saturday, September 14th. Both teams come into this matchup with a 1-0 record, with #8 Lenoir-Rhyne taking down Bowie State 32-19 and (RV) Tiffin knocking off Wayne State (MI) 31-17. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m.

This is the first time in school history the Bears and Dragons are facing off against each other. In addition, this also marks the first time the Bears are playing against an opponent from the current G-MAC conference, which consists of schools located in Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan.

Notes:

Recap from Home Opener: Head Coach Doug Socha earned his first win with the Bears last Saturday, defeating Bowie State between the bricks 32-19. Zayvion Turner-Knox went off, finishing with a career high 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Jalen Ferguson was no slouch, going 17-for-27 for 270 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Preseason All-Conference pick Songa Yates led the team in receiving yards with five receptions for 109 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Andre Jefferson finished with seven tackles, four quarterback hurries, two tackles-for-loss, one sack, and one blocked PAT. Damien Savage and Chris Brown both collected an interception and combined for seven tackles against the Bulldogs. This was the Bears sixth consecutive home opening victory.

Career-Highs and Recognitions: Zayvion Turner-Knox's big day on the ground was the 12th most all-time in Lenoir-Rhyne History. He also rushed for the most yards in the conference in week one, and the third most in NCAA DII. Andre Jefferson was named SAC Defensive Player of the Week. Jefferson's 30.5 career sacks place him third in SAC history and he is now just one sack away from claiming sole possession of second place.

Opponent Profile: Tiffin opened up their 2024 season last week with a 31-17 victory over Wayne State (MI). Dragons defense forced six sacks and five turnovers, including three interceptions and two fumbles. The defense held Wayne State to just 1.2 yards per rush and 2-for-10 on third down conversions. Offensively, Alex Johnson threw for 229 yards passing, four touchdowns, and one interception. Ronald Blackman led the Dragons backfield in rushing with 108 yards on the ground. The Dragons are coming off a strong season where they finished with a 11-1 (9-0 G-MAC) record. The Dragons went undefeated during the regular season, averaging 43.67 PPG which ranked first in the G-MAC conference. Last season, Kason Martin led the air attack for the Dragons with over 1,600 yards passing, and Devin Nelson led the Dragons in rushing with 804 yards. The Dragon's season came to an end against #15 Slippery Rock in the NCAA Division ll Championship Second Round, suffering a 45-35 defeat at home. 

2024 Sports Hall of Fame Class: Lenoir-Rhyne will add seven athletes, one coach, one contributor, and two teams to its Sports Hall of Fame as the Class of 2024. Ed Byrd (Contributor), Tracy Naidas Coleman (Women's Basketball), Catherine Glass (Volleyball), Kent George (Men's Golf), Michael Green (Football), Dawon Millwood (Softball), Josh Rudder (Men's Basketball), Todd Starkey (Coaching Contributor), and Isaiah Whitaker (Football) will make up the class. The 2010 Women's Soccer Team and the 2013 Football Team were named the Teams of Distinction. Prior to the football game, a ceremony will take place at 10:00 a.m. in P.E. Monroe Auditorium honoring these inductees. The ceremony is open to the public. The nine inductees, along with the 2010 Women's Soccer and the 2013 Football teams, will also be honored during the game. 

 Cranford Hospitality Field Level VIP Experience: The newly introduced Cranford Hospitality Field Level VIP Experience was a hit last weekend. Located under videoboard and behind the open endzone, the experience includes catered food from the culinary team at Cranford Hospitality and exclusive beverage options from City Walk Brewing, all while having the best seat in the house. To view this week's menu, click HERE. Tickets are one sale this week for just $40. To purchase tickets for this experience, go to lrbears.com/tickets. Select the Football vs. Tiffin, and when the "purchase today" option is clicked, a mock of the field will pop up. Click the red "field level" option on the bottom left to secure your spot in the best seat in the house.