Emory & Henry Wasps

Emory & Henry Wasps
University Emory and Henry College
Conference Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA Division III
Athletic director Myra Sims
Location Emory, VA
Varsity teams 15
Football stadium Fred Selfe Stadium
Basketball arena Bob Johnson Court at the King Center
Baseball stadium Porterfield-DeVault Field
Other arenas King Aquatics Center
Nickname Wasps
Colors Blue and Gold
         
Website www.gowasps.com

The Emory & Henry Wasps (also E&H Wasps) are the athletic teams that represent Emory and Henry College, located in Emory, Virginia, in NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports. The Wasps compete as members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, having joined as founding members in 1976. Altogether, Emory & Henry sponsors 15 sports: 7 for men and 8 for women.

History

NCAA investigation

The Emory and Henry football team came under investigation for alleged violations of NCAA bylaws in 2014.[1] The allegations came to public attention after the resignation of former coach Don Montgomery from the football program and departure of the College's president, Dr. Rosalind Reichard.[2][3] The student newspaper reported that allegations were due to lack of "institutional control" of the athletic department[1]

Mascot

The official Emory and Henry mascot is the Wasps. While there are many rumored origins of the nickname, the most commonly accepted story is that Emory and Henry was first called the Wasps after the football team played the first ever game in Tennessee's Neyland Stadium by a local Knoxville newspaper.[4] Though Emory and Henry was beaten 27–0, legend has it that the local paper declared "that those Virginia boys stung like wasps," and the nickname has stuck ever since.

The Emory and Henry basketball team's unofficial mascot is a dog named "Pete," who wears an Emory and Henry jersey and is yellowish in nature. Pete is a reference to the late Emory and Henry basketball coach Bob Johnson's Labrador retriever (which was also named Pete). Pete (the dog) was often seen sitting beside Coach Johnson during games at the King Center.

Varsity teams

List of teams

Men's sports

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Equestrian
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Tennis

Women's sports

  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Equestrian
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

Individual teams

Football

The E&H Wasps are credited with inventing an American football offensive formation, named in the college's honor, that divides the offensive line and wide receivers into three groupings of three.[5] While it is primarily used today as a trick play, it was revived in 2007 as an integral part of the A-11 offense, a high school football offensive scheme that was eventually banned due to the exploitation of loopholes in the high school rulebooks. The offense inspired Steve Spurrier to use variations of it as a trick play formation at Florida and South Carolina named "Emory and Henry", as Spurrier attended Wasps games as a child growing up in nearby Johnson City, Tennessee.[6] The formation is featured on EA Sports' NCAA Football 07 video game as well.

The Emory and Henry football team has a long storied history claiming 11 ODAC Conference Championships (more than any other member of the ODAC) since the league's inception in 1976,[7] and appearing in the Tangerine Bowl (currently called the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl) during the 1949 and 1950 seasons. They have also managed to make it to the 1987 NCAA DIII Semifinal game under coach Lou Wacker before losing to now Division I Wagner College, and well as making it to the DIII playoffs numerous times.[8] E&H also boasted the nations longest home game winning streak in 1999 at 37 games.[9] In 2004, Y'all magazine listed Emory and Henry among the 40 colleges and universities in the South with the greatest football traditions. "Not to be overshadowed by neighboring Division I powerhouses . . .Winning seasons plus pride and pageantry equals one of the greatest Southern football traditions."[10]

The Wasps football team began play in 1893 beating Virginia Tech 6–0,[11] and have won games against other Division I programs such as Appalachian State, Marshall, The University of Central Florida, and Middle Tennessee State.[12][13] The Wasps oldest current football rival is Hampden-Sydney College who first played the Wasps in 1922.[14]

Emory and Henry College has had three players drafted to the NFL over the years.[15] The most notable being Sonny Wade (class of '69) who went on to play several years in the CFL.

Division III Playoff Appearances

Year Round Opponent Result
1986 First Round Salisbury State L 10–14
1987 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals 		Ferrum
Washington & Jefferson
Wagner		 W 49–7
W 23–16
L 13–20
1992 First Round
Quarterfinals 		Thomas More
Washington & Jefferson 		W 17–10
L 15–51
1995 First Round Washington & Jefferson L 16–35
2000 First Round McDaniel L 14–38
Playoff Record 0–2

References

  1. 1 2 "Report: E&H athletic department under NCAA investigation". Kingsport Times-News. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Don Montgomery Resigns As Emory & Henry Head Football Coach". Gowasps.com. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Emory & Henry Community Says Goodbye to President Reichard". Ehc.edu. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Archived October 20, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Kindred, Dave. Spurrier dares to imagine—always. The Sporting News. January 28, 2002.
  6. ↑ "Tampa Bay, Florida news - Tampa Bay Times/St. Pete Times". Tampabay.com. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "ODAC". Odaconline.com. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Emory and Henry Plays Past Its Obscurity". The New York Times. December 2, 1987.
  9. ↑ Archived September 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ "Y'all - The South's Homepage™". Yall.com. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "1893 Emory & Henry Wasps Football rosters, game schedules, photos, articles, and videos - Fanbase". Fanbase. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Emory & Henry Wasps Football". Fanbase. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "UCF Football History". Rogersimons.com. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "1922 Emory & Henry Wasps Football rosters, game schedules, photos, articles, and videos - Fanbase". Fanbase. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Colleges With Most Draft Picks". Drafthistory.com. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
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