Three GLIAC Teams Earn Berths to the NCAA Division II Playoffs

Release courtesy of NCAA.com (Click here for release on NCAA.com web site)

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INDIANAPOLIS--The NCAA Division II Football Committee announced today the field of 24 teams for the 2009 NCAA Division II Football Championship.

Eight first-round games will be conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions. In addition, two teams per super regional have earned first-round byes. The first-round winners will all advance to face a bye team in their super regional in the second round on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Second-round winners will meet in the quarterfinals at various campus sites.

Quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Six teams selected per super regional make up the field of 24 teams.

The first-round dates, sites and pairings are:

November 14 at Kearney, Nebraska
Saginaw Valley State University (9-2) vs. *University of Nebraska at Kearney (10-1)

November 14 at Mankato, Minnesota
Hillsdale College (9-2) vs. *Minnesota State University, Mankato (10-1)

November 14 at Russellville, Arkansas
University of North Carolina at Pembroke (9-1) vs. *Arkansas Tech University (8-2)

November 14 at Albany, Georgia
University of West Alabama (7-4) vs. *Albany State University (Georgia) (8-2)

November 14 at East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (8-3) vs. *East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (8-3)

November 14 at California, Pennsylvania
Fayetteville State University (8-3) vs. *California University of Pennsylvania (8-3)

November 14 at Kingsville, Texas
Tarleton State University (9-2) vs. *Texas A&M University-Kingsville (9-2)

November 14 at Wichita Falls, Texas
Abilene Christian University (8-3) vs. *Midwestern State University (9-2)

*Denotes Host Institution

The following institutions earned first-round byes in each super regional and also will host a second-round game on November 21, 2009.

Super Regional One:
1. West Liberty University (10-1)
2. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (9-2)

Super Regional Two:
1. University of North Alabama (10-1)
2. Carson-Newman College (9-2)

Super Regional Three:
1. University of Minnesota, Duluth (10-1)
2. Grand Valley State University (10-1)

Super Regional Four:
1. Central Washington University (11-0)
2. Northwest Missouri State University (10-1)

All contests shall start at noon local time. Other times may be established if approved by the committee.

The University of Minnesota, Duluth defeated Northwest Missouri State in the 2008 national championship game to claim the NCAA title.

The championship game will be played December 12, at 1 p.m. Eastern time at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 HD. The 2009 championship will mark 24 consecutive years that the Division II championship game has been played in Florence. In addition, both semifinal games will be played on Saturday, December 5. Kick-off will be at either 3:30 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN HD or 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on CBS College HD.