Winston-Salem State to make first national semifinal appearance since 1978

 

By ALVIN HOLLINS JR.

Rockstat7376@aol.com

 

December 3, 2011 – Winston-Salem State’s 27-7 quarterfinal victory over New Haven Saturday in the NCAA Division Two football playoffs catapulted the Rams into the national semifinals for the second time in their history.

 

Next Saturday, December 10, the Rams (13-0) will square off against Wayne (Mich.) State University (11-3) in one semifinal, while Pittsburg (Kan.) State (11-1) will take on Delta (Miss.) State (11-2) in the other semifinal.

 

The semifinal appearance is the first for WSSU since current athletic director William “Bill” Hayes guided the Rams to the 1978 Final Four in his third season as head coach.

 

Current Rams’ head coach, Connell Maynor, is a Hayes disciple in his second season at the helm in Winston-Salem, where he was a player under Hayes before both moved to North Carolina A&T.

 

Saturday’s semifinal appearance will be the fourth ever for an HBCU, with WSSU (1978, 2011) and Central State of Ohio (1983, 1986) making those Final Four trips.

 

 

HBCU FOOTBALL TEAMS IN DIVISION TWO SEMIFINALS
1978:Winston-Salem State (Bill Hayes, 1-1, Semifinalists)
1983: Central State of Ohio (Billy Joe, 2-1, Lost in Finals)
1986: Central State of Ohio (Billy Joe, 1-1, Semifinalists)
2011: Winston-Salem State (Connell Maynor, 2-0, Semifinalist)

HBCU NATIONAL SEMIFINALISTS (Year/School/Coach)
1978:FCS/Florida A&M (Rudy Hubbard)+; Jackson State (W.C. Gorden)
1978: DII/Winston Salem State (Bill Hayes)
1983: FCS/Tennessee State (John Merritt)*
1983: DII/Central State (Billy Joe)++
1986: DII/Central State (Billy Joe)
1990: NAIA/Central State (Billy Joe)+
1991: NAIA/Central State (Billy Joe)++
1992: NAIA/Central State (Billy Joe)+
1995: NAIA/Central State (Rick Comegy)+
1999: FCS/Florida A&M (Billy Joe)
2011:DII/Winston-Salem State (Connell Maynor)

(*)-Later vacated by NCAA Infractions Committee
[+]-Won National title
[++]-Advanced to National Final

HBCU FOOTBALL TEAMS IN POSTSEASON CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
1978:FAMU, W, 35-28 vs. UMass/Division I-AA/FCS title (Rudy Hubbard, coach)
1983: Central State, L, 41-21 vs. North Dakota State/ NCAA Div. 2 final (Billy Joe, coach)
1990: Central State, W, 38-16 vs. Mesa State/NAIA Div. I final (Billy Joe, coach)
1991: Central State, L, 19-16 vs. Central Arkansas/NAIA Div. I final (Billy Joe, coach)
1992: Central State, W, 19-16 vs. Gardner Webb/NAIA Div. I final (Billy Joe, coach)
1995: Central State, W, 37-7 vs. Northeastern State/NAIA Div. I final (Rick Comegy, coach)