News Update
Bison and Bearkats prepare to invade Frisco: Students and alumni come to city for NCAA championship
Crews finish up painting the football field on Thursday for Saturday's NCAA Division I Football Championship Game between the North Dakota State Bison and Sam Houston State Bearkats. Photo by Anthony Tosie.
By Anthony Tosie, atosie@starlocalnews.com
Bison and Bearkats are arriving in Frisco for a championship showdown -- a rematch both sides have been anticipating for weeks.
Students and alumni of both North Dakota State and Sam Houston State are making their way to the city in advance of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, which will take place noon Saturday.
The game pits the universities against each other for the second year in a row. Last year's game saw the North Dakota Bison prevail 17-6 over the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
Charlie Vienne, director of alumni relations for Sam Houston State, said the university's athletic ticket office quickly sold through its allotment of 4,800 tickets when the Bearkats made the championship.
"With last year being our first year in the championship, our fans had a great time and there was a great turnout of both alumni and students," he said. "We don't anticipate anything less this year -- I think our turnout will only be bigger and better."
Vienne added that he expects a good percentage of fans to stay in Frisco to enjoy the nightlife after the game, noting that Sam Houston State has a large Dallas alumni base.
Jim Miller, president and CEO of the North Dakota State Alumni Association and Development Foundation, said Bison fans enjoyed their stay in the city last year and are looking forward to Saturday's game.
"The hospitality that the city and local folks shared with us was wonderful," he said. "It was a great treat to come down here and be part of this national championship. We found being in the cities of Frisco and Plano a delightful community to play in. Quite frankly, I didn't hear a negative comment from anyone after the game."
Despite North Dakota State's Fargo campus being more than 1,000 miles from Frisco, the university is expected to bring just as many fans as Sam Houston State. That's no minor feat, given Sam Houston State's Huntsville, Texas, campus is just 200 miles from Frisco.
Miller noted that North Dakota State has a decent alumni base in Texas, but said the university simply has dedicated alumni and students.
"I really think it's indicative of the fan support that North Dakota State has," Miller said. "We've always traveled very well to away athletic competitions. The loyalty of the fans toward the athletic program is demonstrated from what you all saw last year -- people are generally overwhelmed by the numbers we bring."
Both North Dakota State and Sam Houston State's respective alumni associations will be providing charter trips for their alumni to attend the game.
The North Dakota State Alumni Association has four charter flights -- the first of which left for Frisco Thursday -- and the university's student body chartered several buses. Additionally, the university's marching band chartered its own bus.
Sam Houston State's alumni association chartered its own bus, although Vienne noted most fans will likely make their way to Frisco on their own given the university's relative closeness to the city.
"A lot of our alumni will probably arrive Friday night, when we'll host a pep rally," he said. "There will probably be a good amount of people that stick around after the game and enjoy the nightlife, too."
The Sam Houston State pep rally will take place from 8-10 p.m. tonight at the Marriott Quorum in Dallas. North Dakota State will be hosting its own pep rally tonight at Frisco's Dr Pepper Ballpark 6 p.m. The university has already sold 5,800 tickets for the pep rally, Miller said.
"There's going to be plenty of people that come down to do tourist-style things in addition to come for the game and pep rally," he said. "But the game's obviously the main draw. We're hoping to get people fired up for Saturday's game."
Vienne said he has no doubt the Bearkats' fans will be ready for the game -- they're just hoping for a different outcome than last year's game.
"We're looking forward to it -- we're looking forward to a great atmosphere and a great time in Frisco," he said. "It creates more excitement being right here in our home state of Texas; it's even more special to be playing in the championship here. Hopefully this year we come out with a Bearkat victory."
Students and alumni of both North Dakota State and Sam Houston State are making their way to the city in advance of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, which will take place noon Saturday.
The game pits the universities against each other for the second year in a row. Last year's game saw the North Dakota Bison prevail 17-6 over the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
Charlie Vienne, director of alumni relations for Sam Houston State, said the university's athletic ticket office quickly sold through its allotment of 4,800 tickets when the Bearkats made the championship.
"With last year being our first year in the championship, our fans had a great time and there was a great turnout of both alumni and students," he said. "We don't anticipate anything less this year -- I think our turnout will only be bigger and better."
Vienne added that he expects a good percentage of fans to stay in Frisco to enjoy the nightlife after the game, noting that Sam Houston State has a large Dallas alumni base.
Jim Miller, president and CEO of the North Dakota State Alumni Association and Development Foundation, said Bison fans enjoyed their stay in the city last year and are looking forward to Saturday's game.
"The hospitality that the city and local folks shared with us was wonderful," he said. "It was a great treat to come down here and be part of this national championship. We found being in the cities of Frisco and Plano a delightful community to play in. Quite frankly, I didn't hear a negative comment from anyone after the game."
Despite North Dakota State's Fargo campus being more than 1,000 miles from Frisco, the university is expected to bring just as many fans as Sam Houston State. That's no minor feat, given Sam Houston State's Huntsville, Texas, campus is just 200 miles from Frisco.
Miller noted that North Dakota State has a decent alumni base in Texas, but said the university simply has dedicated alumni and students.
"I really think it's indicative of the fan support that North Dakota State has," Miller said. "We've always traveled very well to away athletic competitions. The loyalty of the fans toward the athletic program is demonstrated from what you all saw last year -- people are generally overwhelmed by the numbers we bring."
Both North Dakota State and Sam Houston State's respective alumni associations will be providing charter trips for their alumni to attend the game.
The North Dakota State Alumni Association has four charter flights -- the first of which left for Frisco Thursday -- and the university's student body chartered several buses. Additionally, the university's marching band chartered its own bus.
Sam Houston State's alumni association chartered its own bus, although Vienne noted most fans will likely make their way to Frisco on their own given the university's relative closeness to the city.
"A lot of our alumni will probably arrive Friday night, when we'll host a pep rally," he said. "There will probably be a good amount of people that stick around after the game and enjoy the nightlife, too."
The Sam Houston State pep rally will take place from 8-10 p.m. tonight at the Marriott Quorum in Dallas. North Dakota State will be hosting its own pep rally tonight at Frisco's Dr Pepper Ballpark 6 p.m. The university has already sold 5,800 tickets for the pep rally, Miller said.
"There's going to be plenty of people that come down to do tourist-style things in addition to come for the game and pep rally," he said. "But the game's obviously the main draw. We're hoping to get people fired up for Saturday's game."
Vienne said he has no doubt the Bearkats' fans will be ready for the game -- they're just hoping for a different outcome than last year's game.
"We're looking forward to it -- we're looking forward to a great atmosphere and a great time in Frisco," he said. "It creates more excitement being right here in our home state of Texas; it's even more special to be playing in the championship here. Hopefully this year we come out with a Bearkat victory."
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