NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk State Spartans kick off their season on the big stage Saturday night in the nationally televised MEAC-SWAC Challenge in Atlanta.
It's the school's first time playing in the annual showdown, which puts a team from each of the two NCAA Division I conferences made up entirely of HBCUs — the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference — in the national spotlight.
But it's about more than just football, says NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston. It's an opportunity to expand the school's reach.
"We’re excited. We’re excited for this game," she said. “This challenge allows people to see Norfolk State University and HBCUs in all of their specialness and their talent level.”
President Adams-Gaston said it's a chance to showcase the university as a whole, including its unique culture and pride. That includes performances by the Spartan Legion, the school's "world renowned" marching band.
"We overproduce, what they call 'punch above our weight' to ensure that our nation has representation and excellence in every corner," she said.
Dr. Adams-Gaston is quick to point out a big share of people in careers like engineering come from historically black colleges, despite being only four percent of higher institutions and vastly underfunded.
She says opportunities like the MEAC-SWAC Challenge help the school's vision of attracting more students and the resources to help them succeed.
“It always helps to have visibility. They will get to have what I call a taste of excellence at HBCUs,” Adams-Gaston said.
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She says there may be people watching the game who aren't as familiar with Norfolk State or HBCUs, and this gives them a glimpse of what makes the culture unique.
“One of the things I think happens as a result of students attending HBCUs is that they have a sense of purpose and mission," she said.
On Saturday night, NSU will take part in the 19th edition of the MEAC-SWAC Challenge at Center Parc Stadium. They face the the Fightin' Rattlers of Florida A&M, a team coming off a 12-1 season.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. on 13News Now after our pregame show "A Battle to Behold: NSU vs FAMU" at 7 p.m. After the game, 13News Now at 11, and then the post-game show.
