(Posted August 20, 2001)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - On Thursday morning, a total of 90 student-athletes arrived on the Juniata College campus to start preseason football camp and begin formal preparations for the 2001 season under fourth-year head coach Kevin Burke. Included in the 90 competitors, there are 35 freshmen who will be looking to take their performance to the collegiate level, and help Juniata improve on last fall's overall record of 1-9 (1-8 in the Middle Atlantic Conference).

The initial week of preseason drills began on Thursday afternoon, with team and parent meetings and physical testing. On Friday morning, at 8:45 a.m., the Eagles headed to the practice field for the first time in 2001 and to begin their two-a-day sessions. There will be eight consecutive days of double sessions (Tuesday, August 21 will be the first day of full pads), before Juniata will have its annual Blue and Gold scrimmage and Photo Day on Saturday, August 25.

Classes on College Hill begin on Monday, August 27, and the following weekend (Saturday, September 1) the Eagles will travel to Maryland for a scrimmage against Frostburg State.

The Juniata College football team is slated to open the 2001 campaign with a home game against FDU-Madison on September 8. That contest will mark the beginning of the 79th season of Juniata football. Overall, the Eagle program boasts a 325-307-22 record through 78 agendas of varsity competition. Juniata will start the road trip portion of its schedule the second weekend of the season when the Eagles will journey to Albright for a September 15 outing.

Overall, the Eagles have a 10-game schedule, including five home and five away games. Juniata will be at the friendly confines of Knox Stadium three out of the first five weeks of 2000, but will close the year playing three of the final five away from College Hill.

There is one opponent change when comparing the 2000 and 2001 schedules. King's (Pa.), which will host Juniata on September 29, replaces Delaware Valley which ended its brief two-game stint with the Eagles last fall.

This year's Homecoming game is an October 20 tilt with visiting Susquehanna, and that date will also serve as Hall of Fame Day at Juniata.

The combined 2000 record of this season's opponents is 58-47 (.552 winning percentage), including a 12-2 record by Widener, which advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals last fall, and lost in the semis to eventual Division III champion Mount Union. In addition, Lycoming (7-2) and Susquehanna (7-3), who both won seven tilts a campaign ago, are on this year's agenda. Juniata owns the overall series advantage against three of its 2001 foes. The Eagles posted an overall mark of 1-9 and went 1-8 in the Middle Atlantic Conference in 2000. Of Juniata's nine setbacks last year, six were by seven points or less, including three by three points or less.

2001 JUNIATA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date----Opponent----Time
Sept. 8---FDU-Madison----*1:30
Oct. 13 at Lebanon Valley *1:30
Sept. 15---at Albright--*1:30
Oct. 20----Susquehanna----*^1:30
Sept. 22----Wilkes----*1:30
Oct. 27--at Waynesburg--1:30
Sept. 29---at King's---*1:30
Nov. 3-----at Widener----*1:00
Oct. 6----Moravian----*1:30
Nov. 10-----Lycoming-----*1:00

*MAC game^Homecoming/Hall of Fame Day

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.