ABILENE – The No. 2 ACU Wildcats will open their fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships on Saturday hosting No. 8 Central Missouri at Shotwell Stadium. ACU opens the second round of the NCAA Playoffs finishing an 11-0 regular season and Lone Star Conference Championship the second under head coach Chris Thomsen.
The Wildcats (11-0) will host Central Missouri (10-2) who is coming off a first round NCAA Playoff victory over West Texas A&M in Warrensburg, Missouri, 55-35. Both teams will meet for the first time ever on Saturday as the MIAA runner-up Mules will make the trip to Abilene for a 12 p.m. kickoff.
ACU is making their fifth straight appearance in the post-season and looking for their second trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The last quarterfinals win for the Wildcats came in 2008 after ACU took an epic 93-68 second round win over West Texas A&M in Abilene. The Wildcats fell in the quarterfinal match up with Northwest Missouri, 45-36 also the last time ACU entered the post-season as the No. 1 seed in Super Region 4.
After the first ever 11-0 regular season finish in program history Saturday's contest will mark the fifth game this season against nationally ranked teams for the Wildcats. ACU is 4-0 this season against nationally ranked teams and 19-10 under head coach Chris Thomsen in six seasons.
Saturday's game will mark a showdown between two national finalists for the Harlon Hill Award as ACU's
Mitchell Gale and UCM's Eric Czerniewski. Czerniewski threw for 368 yards and four TDs leading the Mules to their first ever playoff win over West Texas A&M last Saturday. He is the 2010 Mid-America Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year and the first-team All-MIAA quarterback. He is the nation's fourth-ranked passer with 4,518 yards and 38 touchdown passes and has completed 68 percent of his passes.
Gale is third in the nation in passing efficiency (167.3) and 17th in total offense per game (300.6 yards per game). He also leads the nation in touchdown-to-interception ratio with 33 touchdown passes against just two interceptions. Gale was also recently named first team all-LSC South Division quarterback and Offensive Back of the Year.
Kickoff at Shotwell is set for noon as fans of both ACU and UCM have until Friday to purchase Playoff tickets. Fans can either purchase tickets online, in person or via telephone. Tickets can be ordered at www.acusports.com by clicking on the Ticketing link. Those fans who would like to purchase tickets via telephone can call 325-674-CATS, and those who would like to purchase tickets in person can do so early next week at the north ticket gate at ACU's Moody Coliseum
Tickets will be $12 for adults and $5 for students (kindergarten-college with a valid ID). Groups of 10 or more can purchases tickets for $7 apiece. Because next Saturday's game is an NCAA contest, no one will be admitted free, and no passes of any kind except media passes may be used to gain entrance to the stadium.
In addition to the ticket announcement, ACU also announced that fans are invited to a free tailgate party starting at 10:30 a.m. next Saturday in the west parking lot of Shotwell Stadium. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive free Harold's Bar-B-Q sandwiches with chips and a drink.
The party will also host air castles, music and other activities and give-aways for kids and their families. Gates to the stadium will open at 10:30 a.m.
