Mount Marty College Announces Football Program

During a press conference on Tuesday, Mount Marty College (MMC) announced the addition of football to the school’s growing list of varsity athletic offerings. It’s a move that will bring more students, and more gridiron action, to an already football-crazy town.

The athletes aren’t expected to hit the field for a couple of years, but for the first time since the close of Yankton College in 1984, Yankton will have a collegiate football team to call its own.

Home turf for Lancer Football will be Crane-Youngworth Field. This outstanding facility, which holds long-standing traditions in the history of Yankton football, is already home to Lancer Soccer. In 2017 MMC entered an official partnership with the Yankton School District. As part of the arrangement, MMC agreed to contribute money toward the installation of an artificial turf playing field in exchange for access to the field for sports practice and competition. Additionally, in December 2018, MMC was gifted with funds to purchase land adjacent to Westside Park. This practice field, located east of campus, will serve as a practice field for the football and soccer teams.

MMC Athletic Director, Chris Kassin says the addition is an excellent opportunity for the college, ”This is a great move for the Lancers, not only will the addition of football bring us into alignment with the offerings at other GPAC schools, but the need for additional athletes will allow us to expand our recruitment footprint in the region.” Kassin believes a lot of students will be interested in playing football for MMC. “We have a lot to offer these students; by the fall of 2020 the fieldhouse will be complete, and our players will benefit from training in that first-class facility. They’ll also be privileged to call the excellent facilities at Crane-Youngworth Field their home turf.”

MMC President Dr. Marcus Long says the addition of football will benefit more than just the school. “We’re extremely excited to bring college football back to Yankton after a 35-year absence and we look forward to the growth it will foster. The use of Crane-Youngworth Field is a great partnership between the Yankton School District and Mount Marty College to improve sports offerings in the area.”

It is estimated that around 100 additional students will be brought in to fill the football roster. Dr. Long says that growth will push the college toward several of its goals, “As we drive our enrollment upward more students will experience our outstanding Catholic, Benedictine education and the enrollment increases at the College will help economic development in the region. It’s a win-win.”

Official timelines for the development of the program will be at the discretion of head coach, but the Lancers hope to play their first varsity GPAC game in the fall of 2022. A search for the program’s inaugural head coach will begin in May.

For more information about Mount Marty College Athletics visit www.mtmc.edu.