NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- Saturday night will mark the end of an era for the Christopher Newport University football program. The Captains, 5-3 overall and 5-1 atop the USA South Athletic Conference, host LaGrange College at POMOCO Stadium. It will be Senior Night as 20 senior student-athletes will be honored prior to the 7:00 p.m. kickoff.

The game will mark the final home USA South game ever, as the Captains leave the league following 14 amazingly successful seasons. CNU will begin play in the New Jersey Athletic Conference beginning next fall.

Christopher Newport has been dominant since the beginning, and the Captains have won 76 of 93 all-time conference games (.817 winning percentage) since the inception of the program in 2001. Even more impressively, the Captains are 38-8 all-time in conference action at home (.826 winning percentage).

"We've had a great run in this conference, and we want to finish on a high note," Head Coach Matt Kelchner said. "We've represented the conference in a positive manner in every way and I think it's been a tremendous association. We've got two more games left in the USA South and we want to go out with our heads held high."

The Captains can control their own fate heading into the final two regular-season games. Wins over LaGrange Saturday night and at Maryville next Saturday afternoon in Tennessee would give CNU its 10th league title and a 10th bid to the NCAA Tournament.

LaGrange is 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the USA South, but the Panthers are coming off a huge win last Saturday at Huntingdon, 24-17. The win by the Panthers helped the Captains, leaving CNU as the only team left in the league with one conference loss.

The Panthers are led by senior quarterback Graham Craig, who topped the nation in passing last season in Division III. Craig has thrown 18 touchdown passes this season in seven games played and is averaging 310 yards passing per game.

Christopher Newport is coming off a 45-31 Homecoming victory over Greensboro last Saturday night at POMOCO Stadium. The senior tandem of quarterback Marcus Morrast and wide receiver Rudy Rudolph connected on three touchdown passes last week, and the duo along with 18 other seniors will be looking to finish their home careers with a flourish.

Morrast has thrown for 17 touchdown passes this year in eight games, and has also run for eight scores. He is averaging 223 yards passing per game and is now the school's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. Rudolph, CNU's all-time leading wide receiver, has caught 55 balls this year including six for touchdowns. Rudolph is now averaging 129 yards receiving per game, and has 2,900 career receiving yards.

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Saturday night for the 7:00 p.m. kickoff. Tickets will be available for sale beginning at 5:00 p.m. at POMOCO Stadium.

The game will be broadcast live on the Christopher Newport/Pepsi Radio Network (Xtra 99.1 FM), with the pre-game show beginning at 6:30 p.m. Audio and video will also be streamed live on the official website of CNU athletics, www.CNUsports.com/live.

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