Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston and head football coach Joe Reich have released the 2012 Wingate University football schedule. This year, the Bulldogs are scheduled to play 11 games. Six games will be held at Wingate’s Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. In 2011, the Bulldogs were 5-6 overall and 4-3 in the rugged South Atlantic Conference.
 
Wingate will open the 2012 campaign with a road game at Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh. The Bulldogs and the CIAA member Falcons will meet for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 1 (1:30 p.m. kick-off). Reich has a 10-1 overall record in season openers during his illustrious Wingate coaching career. The Bulldogs are 21-5 overall in 26 senior college season openers.
 
The Bulldogs are 9-0 lifetime against members of the CIAA. Wingate has three wins over Fayetteville State and two victories each against Johnson C. Smith and Saint Paul’s (Va.). Wingate possesses one victory each over Elizabeth City State and Virginia Union.
 
The Bulldogs will welcome Albany State (Ga.) University to Wingate for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 8 (1:30 p.m.). The Golden Rams are one of three Wingate opponents who qualified for the 2011 NCAA Division II play-offs. ASU leads the series between the two schools 2-0.
 
Albany State earned a 30-28 home victory over Wingate in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Division II play-offs. The two teams combined for 673 yards total offense in the post-season contest. Last year, the ASU Golden Rams defeated the Bulldogs 49-28 in Albany (Sept. 10, 2011). Wingate was playing its fourth consecutive contest against a nationally-ranked opponent (dating to the 2010 season).
 
Wingate hosts local rival UNC Pembroke Saturday, Sept. 15 (1:30 p.m.). The Bulldogs lead the series between the two schools 4-1. In 2011, Wingate collected a 29-26 come-from-behind overtime victory at UNC Pembroke on Sept. 17. Bulldog quarterback Cody Haffly (Locust Grove, Ga.) found wide receiver Josh Clawson (Clover, S.C.) for the winning overtime touchdown.
 
The Bulldogs will hit the road for their first two 2012 SAC contests. On Saturday, Sept. 22, Wingate visits Brevard College. The Bulldogs lead the series with the Tornados 5-0. Wingate scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs rallied for a 35-31 SAC home victory over the BC Tornados on Sept. 24, 2011.
 
Wingate will visit Carson-Newman College Saturday, Sept. 29 (1 p.m.). On Oct. 1, 2011, the Bulldogs bolted to a 20-0 lead and withstood an Eagle rally to take a 33-21 SAC home triumph. Wingate has won two straight games against Carson-Newman. In 2010, the Bulldogs earned a 38-35 overtime decision over the C-N Eagles in Jefferson City, Tenn.
 
Mars Hill College ventures down the mountain to face host Wingate on Saturday, Oct. 6 (1:30 p.m.). The NCAA playoff-bound Lions scored 28 unanswered points to take a 42-35 win over the Bulldogs on Oct. 8, 2011. Wingate led 35-14 with 6:42 left in the third quarter. Mars Hill leads the series between the two schools 14-12. Wingate has won four of the last six games between the two schools.
 
Wingate travels to Newberry College Saturday, Oct. 13 for a 4 p.m. contest. In 2011, the Bulldogs survived a furious rally en route to a 31-29 SAC home victory on Oct. 15. Wingate denied a Newberry two-point conversion try with 1:45 to play. The Bulldogs lead the series with the Wolves 12-10. Twenty of the 22 games in the Wingate-Newberry series have been decided by 12 points or less.
 
Wingate’s next two SAC games will take place in the friendly confines of Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. On Oct. 20, the Bulldogs host the Catawba College Indians at 1:30 p.m. Catawba leads the series between the two teams, but Wingate has won four of the last six games between the schools.
 
On Oct. 22, 2011, Haffly completed 20-of-31 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns as the Bulldogs earned a wild 51-41 SAC victory at Catawba. The two teams combined for 920 yards total offense. Wingate linebackers Clayton Hazeltine (Nokomis, Fla.) and Jared Seate (Charlotte, N.C.) combined for 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
 
The Bulldogs will celebrate Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 27, as the Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears come to town for a 1:30 p.m. contest. Wingate has won eight of the last 10 games between the two institutions. On Oct. 29, 2011, Lenoir-Rhyne posted 297 rushing yards en route to a 52-28 victory over visiting Wingate. The 2012 contest will be the sixth Wingate Homecoming event featuring the L-R Bears. Wingate won the 2010 Homecoming game over Lenoir-Rhyne 27-24 on Oct. 30.
 
Wingate visits North Greenville University Saturday, Nov. 3. The Bulldogs lead the series 7-1. The Crusaders earned their first visit to the NCAA play-offs in 2011. On Nov. 5, 2011, NGU defeated Wingate 54-7. The visiting Crusaders scored five touchdowns from six Bulldog turnovers.
 
The Bulldogs conclude the 2012 regular season with a Nov. 10 home game versus Tusculum College (1:30 p.m.). Wingate leads the series between the two schools 10-6. The Bulldogs have won three of the last four games and six of the most recent eight games with the Pioneers.
 
Tusculum completed the 2011 regular season with a 38-20 home victory over Wingate on Nov. 12. Bulldog wide receiver Chris Bowden (Forsyth, Ga.) eclipsed the 1000 receiving yard mark for the season with eight catches for 134 yards and two scores. The All-SAC performer caught 76 passes for 1064 yards and nine touchdowns in 2011.
 
Reich is only the fourth head coach in Wingate’s senior college school history. In 11 seasons at the Bulldog helm, Reich is 71-49 overall. On August 25, 2007, Wingate topped the Fayetteville State Broncos 34-26, giving Reich more victories than his senior college predecessors.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a comprehensive university with more than 2,500 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. The university offers 34 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.
 
Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.
 
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past five years.
 
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 42 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 51 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.