WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – A trio of Thursday night home games at West Family Stadium highlights the 2015 West Liberty University football schedule.
Coming off their eighth winning season in the past 10 years under head coach Roger Waialae, the Hilltoppers will be prominently featured on the Mountain East Conference’s Thursday Night “Game of the Week” promotion, which was revealed Thursday morning by MEC Commissioner Reid Amos.
“We are excited about the 2015 football schedule and particularly pleased about the opportunities a Thursday night package provides for our members,” Amos said. “We strongly believe that having a consistent presence on Thursday night will greatly enhance our league’s profile while creating excitement on our campuses.”
The MEC will have at least one Thursday night game every week of the season and four of those contests will feature the Black and Gold.
West Liberty jumps right into the fire in the Sept. 5 season opener as WLU welcomes defending MEC champion and NCAA Division II national semifinalist Concord to West Family Stadium for a 1 p.m.kickoff.
The Hilltoppers remain at home the following weekend for their only non-conference contest of the season, a 1 p.m. kickoff against McKendree University of Lebanon, Ill. McKendree finished third in the powerful Great Lakes Valley Conference last fall and carries a 5-game winning streak into the 2015 season.
West Liberty’s first road game of the year will also be its first Thursday night appearance as the Hilltoppers make the trek to Fairmont State on Sept. 17 for a 7 p.m. kickoff before returning home to host Urbana in a Thursday night game at West Family Stadium on Sept. 24.
October finds West Liberty back on the road with a 1 p.m. game against West Virginia Wesleyan in Buckhannon on Oct. 3
Homecoming is set for Oct. 10 with Charleston coming to town for a 1 p.m. kickoff before the Hilltoppers head south on Oct. 17 for a 1 p.m. test at UVA-Wise.
West Liberty goes under the Thursday night lights once again on Oct. 22 when Notre Dame (Ohio) visits West Family Stadium and the Hilltoppers close out the month of October with a noon game against perennial MEC power Shepherd.
The Black and Gold close out the home slate with their final Thursday night game of the season, hosting Glenville State in a 7 p.m. tilt on Nov. 5, before wrapping up the year on Nov. 14 with a 1 p.m. kickoff at West Virginia State.
WEST LIBERTY
Sept. 5: Concord* 1 p.m.
Sept. 12: McKendree (Ill.) 1 p.m.
Sept. 17: at Fairmont State* 7 p.m.
Sept. 24: Urbana* 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: at W.Va. Wesleyan 1 p.m.
Oct. 10: 1Charleston* 1 p.m.
Oct. 17: at UVA-Wise* 1 p.m.
Oct. 22: Notre Dame (Ohio)* 7 p.m.
Oct. 31: at Shepherd* Noon
Nov. 5: Glenville State* 7 p.m.
Nov. 14: at W.Va. State* 1 p.m.
