Sports sponsorship: The University of New Haven announced it will reinstate football as a varsity sport effective in 2009 and compete as a member of the Northeast-10 Conference. The Chargers will compete as a member of the Northeast-10 in all sports, except men’s volleyball, beginning in fall 2008. New Haven currently fields 17 varsity athletics teams and football will become the 18th when it begins play in 2009. University of New Haven President Steven H. Kaplan said the school is excited to begin competing in its new conference. “The Northeast-10 provides a terrific fit for our programs,” he said. “It allows us to revive our football legacy and compete athletically with some of the strongest college teams in Division II today. We here at the University of New Haven are unquestionably ambitious, and this fits well into our continued quest for excellence in all we do.” Athletics Director Deborah Chin called it “a banner day” for New Haven athletics. “We have been seeking a conference that would be the right fit for our university, athletically and academically, and we have been seeking a conference that would allow us to bring football back,” she said. Chin said a coaching staff should be in place by the end of the calendar year. In addition to New Haven, members of the Northeast-10 for 2008-09 will include American International College, Assumption College, Bentley College, Franklin Pierce University, Le Moyne College, The University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Merrimack College, Pace University, Saint Anselm College, Saint Michael’s College, The College of Saint Rose, Southern Connecticut State University, Southern New Hampshire University and Stonehill College.

Facilities: Colorado State Uni­versity at Pueblo’s reinstated football program will be playing its first games in 2008 in a newly constructed stadium. The new facility is a hillside construction fashioned like a bowl. Each side seats 3,230 fans. The stadium is designed and built by the Southern Bleacher Company ... California State University, Stanislaus, will name the track in its new Student Recreation and Sports Complex after Al Brenda, a local coaching and athletics legend who died in September 2001. The facility opens in late 2008. Brenda served as head track and field coach for two years (1976-77) at Cal State Stanislaus during a career that included 36 years as a teacher and coach at Ceres High School and as an assistant track and field coach at Modesto Junior College. Brenda started the Ceres Invitational track meet in 1958, and it is still acknowledged as one of the premier events in the state. University President Hamid Shirvani said, “Since his life had such a positive impact on so many people in Stanislaus County, particularly in track and field competition circles, it is fitting that the Cal State Stanislaus track be named in his honor.” The $16.2 million Student Recreation and Sports Complex will feature a state-of-the-art Rekortan M99 polyurethane micro-foam surface track in the 2,300-seat lighted track and field/soccer stadium.

Milestones: Francis Marion University men’s basketball coach Gary Edwards won his 400th game with a 69-66 victory over Coker College November 17. After the game, Edwards’ career mark stood at 400-275 in 24 seasons, with stints at Barton College, Charleston Southern University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is in his second year at Francis Marion.

Miscellaneous: Southwest Baptist University wide receiver Nick Smart broke the all-divisions record for single-season receptions, catching his 143rd pass November 10 during a game against Washburn University of Topeka. Smart, a senior, broke the 1989 record of 142 receptions set by Manny Hazzard from the University of Houston. He entered the game against Washburn with 127 receptions, catching his 16th ball with three minutes left in the game.Washburn won the game, 37-14 ...The November 6 American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II top 25 poll was the first not to include Pittsburg State University since the AFCA began ranking teams at the start of the 2000 season. Pittsburg State in fact was the only school to have appeared in all 106 polls during that time. The Gorillas dropped from 18th after a 35-28 loss at Washburn University of Topeka. All three of Pittsburg State’s losses this year were by a touchdown or less.