2006 Football
News

Lake Erie College Announces 10-Game Club Football Schedule
PAINESVILLE, OH. (April 26, 2007) - A visit by the Prague Lions of the Czech Republic will kick off the 2007 Lake Erie College football schedule.The Lake Erie team will be competing on the club level during its initial campaign this fall, which also includes several games against collegiate junior varsity squads, one prep opponent and one club team, bringing the total slate to 10 games. The overall schedule includes five home games at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium in Painesville's Kiwanis Recreation Park.

The first football competition in Lake Erie history will be on September 1 at 1 p.m. That game, against the visiting European team, is part of a two-game visit by the Czechs. They will also meet the Ashland College junior varsity team on their U.S. tour.

Lake Erie's team will begin varsity competition in the fall of 2008. Storm athletics are currently in the exploratory phase of a reclassification from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II. The teams are on track to move into the provisional phase of reclassification for the 2008-09 academic year. The Lake Erie teams would become fully active members of Division II for the 2009-10 academic year.

Lake Erie College currently has 10 teams competing within the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) in NCAA Division III, including basketball, cross country, soccer, softball and volleyball for women and baseball, basketball, cross country, golf and soccer for men. Track and field for both men and women, as well as women's golf will become varsity teams in the upcoming school year.

DAY	DATE	OPPONENT	TIME
Sat.	September 1	PRAGUE LIONS (Czech Republic)	1:00
Sun.	September 9	at Ohio Wesleyan JV	4:30
Sun.	September 16	CASE WESTERN RESERVE JV	1:00
Mon.	September 24	at Hiram JV	4:00
Sun.	September 30	NORTH CAROLINA TECH	2:00
Sun.	October 7	at Thiel JV	2:00
Mon.	October 15	at Mount Union JV	7:00
Sun.	October 21	PITTSBURGH BLUE STORM	2:00
Sun.	October 28	JOHN CARROLL JV	Noon
Sun.	November 4	at Case Western Reserve JV	1:00

Storm Announces Home Field
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 23, 2007) - The next step in the Lake Erie College football program was taken this morning as the Storm's home field was officially announced.

Lake Erie College signed a lease, sublease and use agreement with the City of Painesville and the Painesville City School District, effective immediately, to use the Painesville Stadium for its home contests. Other Storm athletic programs, such as track and field, will also have the opportunity to use the facilities located in the Kiwanis Recreation Park. The terms of this agreement expire at midnight on Dec. 31, 2012.

"This agreement will not only benefit the College, but the local school district and the economy of the great city of Painesville as well," said Lake Erie College President Michael T. Victor. "We are delighted to be able to share the excitement of a new football program with the local community and hope to see many local citizens in the stands."

As part of the agreement, the College will make $100,000 in improvements to the building that will be used as the teams' locker room facilities. By the end of the 2008 calendar year, the School District will have completed renovations to the press box that are in accordance with applicable National Collegiate Athletic Association and Ohio High School Athletic Association requirements. Furthermore, the City has agreed to complete construction of hard surfaces for the use of parking and make renovations to the public restrooms located at the field.

In turn, the College will provide Harvey High School the use of its soccer field for three home matches each season. In the fifth year of the agreement, the College will open discussions with the Schools regarding the installation of an artificial turf and the possibility of the College participating in bearing the cost.

The School District will be responsible for preparing, maintaining, lining and dressing the practice field and the stadium field in addition to providing general maintenance and repairs. The City will provide entrance signage to the Kiwanis Recreation Park promoting the College and identifying the field and baseball diamond as the College's home fields.

"This is a wonderful arrangement for the City, Schools and College," said Rita McMahon, Painesville city manager. "This cooperative venture will help to bring real depth to our community. We are proud to be the home of Lake Erie College."

Michael Hanlon, Jr., superintendent of Painesville City Local Schools, echoed the sentiment. "We have had a long-standing relationship with the College and see this as one more way we can have an impact on the students in our school district. We look forward to the benefits this relationship brings to the community."

LEC Hires Hazzard as Offensive Coordinator
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 23, 2007) - Lake Erie College recently hired Gerald Hazzard as offensive coordinator for the new Storm football program. Hazzard joins head coach Mark McNellie in the quest to build the new team as it will participate as a club level program in 2007 followed by what is expected to be NCAA Division II participation in 2008.

Hazzard comes to Lake Erie with a combined four years coaching experience as a student assistant at the nearby Baldwin-Wallace College, as well as an offensive assistant at Gettysburg College. While at Gettysburg, he coached the Centennial Conference rushing champion and the all-purpose champion in 2005 and 2006, in addition to the scoring champion in 2006.

Prior to coaching, Hazzard was a four-year letterman and also served as team captain at Baldwin-Wallace where he was the 2002 recipient of the Eloise Tressel "Jacket" award. He graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's of arts degree in sport management and then earned a master's of science degree in athletic administration from McDaniel College in 2007.

"Coach Hazzard is an outstanding coach and has great knowledge of offensive football," said McNellie of his new assistant. "More importantly, he is a great person and will serve as a positive role model for the young men here at Lake Erie."

A 1999 graduate of North Olmsted High School, Hazzard was a three-year varsity fullback and linebacker. He is a lifelong resident of Cleveland.

Football to kick off in 2008, McNellie to be head coach; LEC enters exploratory year for NCAA Division II Status
(PAINESVILLE, OHIO) - Varsity football will be added at Lake Erie College beginning with the fall, 2008 season announced President Michael T. Victor, and the College has named Mark McNellie as the team's first head coach. McNellie comes to Lake Erie from Mercyhurst College, where he spent the last 16 years on the football coaching staff, the last four as assistant head coach. Simultaneously, Lake Erie, an NCAA Division III institution, announces that it has entered an exploratory year with the NCAA to study potential reclassification to Division II status. The College's Board of Directors unanimously approved the initiatives at its July 22 meeting.

"Lake Erie College is in a growth phase and we are exploring ways our campus can expand in all areas, including athletics," said Victor. "College football is a sport that can be a great source of pride for a campus and the surrounding community. We see this program as a way to help increase male enrollment, while enhancing the Lake Erie College experience for the rest of our student body. Our new coach, Mark McNellie, is the perfect fit for the institution as it takes on this exciting challenge."

McNellie, 40, worked his way up the Mercyhurst staff over the past 16 seasons. He began as the defensive line coach in 1990, took over the linebackers in 1991 and became the defensive coordinator in 1992. He served as the offensive coordinator in 2001 and returned to oversee the defense the following year when he was elevated to assistant head coach. He was also involved with Mercyhurst's transition to scholarship football in 1998 and has overseen defenses which have been nationally ranked in several categories during his tenure. McNellie has served as the recruiting coordinator for Mercyhurst football and his main recruiting area has been Northeast Ohio.

Before his tenure at Mercyhurst, McNellie spent two years at Fairmont (W.Va.) State where he served one year each as the offensive line and defensive line coach. He is a 1988 graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College, where he was a three-time football letterman, and earned his master's degree from West Virginia University in 1990. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children, Calvin (8), Carson (5) and Raegan (2). They will be relocating to the Lake County area.

The many components necessary for a football program are being thoroughly reviewed at this time. The College is exploring the use of area facilities and on-campus space. We have found a highly qualified coach to lead the charge," said Ken Krsolovic, athletic director. "We were looking for a dynamic individual with a pioneering spirit who can excite young men to enroll at Lake Erie College and be the leader of a brand new team on and off the field. Mark McNellie is the right person for this program."

Plans are also underway for additional athletic offerings, including further offerings for the women's varsity sports program. A study to learn of student interests will be conducted soon.

The Division II study would be the first part of the process for possible reclassification to that level of competition. "This initiative has the potential to further enhance our entire athletic program and its impact. We will carefully survey all of our options to optimize the program's future," said Krsolovic.

Formerly an all-women's College, Lake Erie began admitting men on a full-time basis in 1985 and has been challenged to increase the enrollment of male students since that time. "Many other schools of our size have made the decision to pursue football and it has made a phenomenal impact on their male enrollment," said Victor.

"This is an important milestone for the College," said Patricia Nocero, alumna from the Class of 1973 and emeritus member of the College board of directors. "Although Lake Erie College has been co-educational for 20 years now, the new football program will succeed in achieving a better balance of men and women on campus."

The College is currently home to five men's teams (soccer, cross country, golf, basketball, and baseball) and five women's teams (volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball and softball). In 2005-06, the campus enrolled 657 traditional, full-time undergraduate students, and 27 percent were men.

Founded in 1856, Lake Erie College is a dynamic and progressive institution of higher education offering 26 undergraduate majors and master's degrees in business administration and education. This coeducational college, grounded in the liberal arts, enrolls just over 1,000 students of all ages and is nationally recognized for its equine studies programs and international learning opportunities for students. For more information, visit us on the web at www.lec.edu.