NEWPORT NEWS, VA- Christopher Newport University Director of Athletics R. Todd Brooks and Head Football Coach Matt Kelchner today unveiled the 2014 CNU football schedule.
 
The Captains, coming off an 8-2 record in 2013, will open their 14th campaign at home against the Sea Gulls of Salisbury. The season opener will be played on Saturday, September 6th, at POMOCO Stadium with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m.
 
The 2014 season will be the final for Christopher Newport as a member of the USA South Athletic Conference. CNU will become affiliated with the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) for football starting in 2015. The Captains will align with Capital Athletic Conference programs Frostburg State, Salisbury, Southern Virginia, and Wesley…as well as five current members of the NJAC; Kean, Montclair State, the College of New Jersey, William Paterson, and Rowan. The institutions will form the new ten-team NJAC football league beginning in 2015.
 
"It's a very exciting time in the history of our program," Head Coach Matt Kelchner said. "We want to make our final season in the USA South a memorable one. We've had quite a run in this conference and we want to add to our great successes before we look ahead to our membership in the NJAC."
 
CNU will again play five home games at POMOCO Stadium in 2014, with all five home games under the lights for the third straight year. All home kickoffs are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. except for the 6:00 p.m. start vs. Salisbury in the opener.
 
CNU's first home conference game will be played on Saturday, September 27th, when the Captains host Methodist during Family Weekend. The game against the Monarchs has been tabbed a "Blue Out" with all fans encouraged to wear blue.
 
Christopher Newport will host Greensboro on Saturday, October 25th, during Homecoming Weekend festivities. The game against the Pride will be a "White Out" with all fans encouraged to wear white.
 
CNU will play ten consecutive weeks in 2014 for the first time ever without a "bye" week. The Captains will conclude the regular season on Saturday, November 8th, at Maryville College, a full week before the other eight members of the USA South wrap up their regular-season schedules.
 
The Captains will have a couple of other "firsts" in program history in the 2014 season. CNU will play on a day other than Saturday for the first time on Thursday, September 18th. Christopher Newport will open USA South play by travelling to Rocky Mount to take on North Carolina Wesleyan in a Thursday night matchup. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.
 
CNU will also travel to the state of Alabama for the first time, as the Captains play at Huntingdon College on October 11th in Montgomery, AL. Huntingdon joined the USA South last season. Alabama will become the tenth state the Captains have played in since the inception of the program.  
 
The Christopher Newport football program began play in 2001, and has enjoyed remarkable success over its first 13 seasons. The Captains, who have been coached by Matt Kelchner since the program's inception, have compiled an all-time record of 90-47 for a winning percentage of .657. CNU has won nine conference titles in its first 13 seasons, recorded a conference record of 71-16 (.816), and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament nine times, including the first four years in program history.
 
CLICK HERE for the complete 2014 CNU football schedule: