EKU ATHLETICS — Eastern Kentucky University will host the inaugural Opportunity Bowl in memory of Dr. Sheila Pressley on Nov. 21, 2020, Vice President and Director of Athletics Matt Roan announced today. The game will feature EKU and Western Carolina University.
Kickoff of the inaugural Opportunity Bowl is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at Roy Kidd Stadium. The Opportunity Bowl will air live on ESPN3.
Pressley, who passed away in January of 2020, was the dean of the College of Health Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University. She attended Western Carolina University for her undergraduate education, graduating in 1989.
“With our decision to play football in the fall, a goal we’ve shared publicly several times is that we wanted to create unique ‘opportunities’ and championship-level experiences for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Matt Roan said. “Once our season opener with Western Carolina was moved to the end of the year, knowing about Dr. Pressley’s ties to both WCU and EKU as a student and in service, respectively, I began to collaborate with WCU to pay tribute to her in this way. This game provides us with a platform to discuss her legacy and highlight many of the things important to her, including eliminating barriers to education and advocating for early childhood education, among other opportunity-focused initiatives at EKU. It also gives us a chance to share with the world the things that make Richmond such a great place to live, work, play, and visit.”
The two teams will play for the right to hoist the Opportunity Bowl trophy, which is being presented by Dinsmore & Shohl – a full service national law firm with over 650 attorneys. The winning team will receive Opportunity Bowl championship rings and all student-athletes will receive a participant gift, in accordance with NCAA guidelines. The Opportunity Bowl is made possible by corporate sponsors and the city of Richmond, Kentucky – visitrichmondky.com.
