Evangel University has partnered with the Ozark R-VI School District to play their home football games at Ozark High School’s Tiger Stadium in 2016.
The Crusaders will play each of their six home games at the school next season starting with the season opener against Benedictine College on Saturday, August 27 at 6 p.m.
Evangel will also play their upcoming Spring Game in the stadium with an intra-squad contest on Friday, April 29. The 6 p.m. scrimmage is open to the public and admission is free.
“We are very excited about this partnership and the opportunity for our football program to play in a first class facility in Ozark,” said Dr. Dennis McDonald, director of athletics at Evangel University. “We’re appreciative of the support we have received from the Ozark public schools as well as the Ozark Chamber of Commerce and the city government of Ozark.”
Ozark High School’s Tiger Stadium opened in 2005. The facility has a capacity of 4,450 which can be expanded with berm seating. The main grandstand also contains handicap seating and more than 300 fixed chair-back seats. The stadium has a press box with two levels, locker rooms to accommodate the home and visiting teams, a video message board and an artificial playing surface.
Andrea Sitzes, executive director of the Ozark Chamber of Commerce, says Evangel football shifting home games to Ozark will have a positive impact on the community.
"It is wonderful to see a four-year University in our area taking such a vested interest in Ozark!” said Sitzes. “The economic impact will be a great addition during the fall football season and I look forward to seeing the positive affect these games will have for Ozark restaurants, retailers, and businesses."
The stadium in Ozark will be the third site for Evangel football in their 39 year team history. The Crusaders played at JFK Stadium across from Parkview High School in Springfield from 1977 to 1988 and from 2001 to 2015. Evangel home games were at the Plaster Sports Complex at Missouri State University from 1989 to 2001.
Evangel will play six home games next season, all at Ozark High School’s Tiger Stadium:
Sat., Aug. 27 vs. Benedictine, 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 10 vs. Grand View, 1:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 17 vs. Culver-Stockton, 1:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 15 vs. MidAmerica Nazarene, 1:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 22 vs. Central Methodist (Homecoming), 6 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 5 vs. Avila, 11 a.m.
