Chicago State University may soon have a Division I football program. University officials announced Thursday that they have formed a committee to assess the possibility of creating a team.
in fall 2016. But freshmen and sophomore enrollment has grown sharply over the last year, Chicago State President Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott said. Overall enrollment decreased 2.1% in 2022, with 2,296 students enrolled in the fall, according to a university news release.
The possible football program “is one part of our ongoing focus to improve the quality of student life, to make Chicago State University a more attractive destination for new students and to contribute to the ongoing economic development of our community,” Scott said. Former NFL player Howard Griffith speaks during a news conference at Chicago State University on Jan. 26, 2023, where the university announced a Division I football team will be explored. The university operates seven men’s and eight women’s Division I sports programs. The Cougars left the Western Athletic Conference in June, though Carroll said she expects the university will join a new conference in the next year, a decision that likely will be affected by the prospect of a football program.The university’s baseball team was cut two years ago, a move Carroll pinned on economic uncertainty during the pandemic. But the school since has added a men’s soccer team, she added. Carroll said she is confident the school would be able to establish the team financially, adding that college football teams typically generate revenue. When Scott was asked whether the potential football team might play games at Soldier Field amid the Chicago Bears’ developing plans to leave the stadium for a new one in Arlington Heights, Scott answered with a laugh, “If it’s available.”[Don't miss] Will the Chicago Bears leave Soldier Field for Arlington Heights? Here’s what to know.The team would compete in the Football Championship Subdivision, the second level of NCAA Division I football, a school spokesperson said. “I hope that, at the end of this committee, we find that we’re able to move forward with this football program,” said Griffith, a South Side native and two-time Super Bowl champion. “It can bring so many other people into your program. It could have such an important impact for our community.” Griffith said the committee’s recommendation ultimately will be passed to university leaders who will make a final decision. The committee needs to take its time to form a thoughtful recommendation, he added.The new team could be an investment in the South Side and its young people, Griffith said. “It’s not necessarily about are people playing in the NBA, the NFL or going on and playing any professional sports but the opportunity to have an education,” he said.
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