Molloy University announces inaugural Sprint Football season

Molloy University is the ninth and newest team to join the Collegiate Sprint Football League. The Lions’ inaugural season will kick off with its first home game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.

Sprint football is a full-contact sport with the same rules as traditional college football — with the exception that all players must weight 178 pounds or less. The CSFL consists of institutions that emphasize both athletic and academic excellence, making it one of the premiere conferences in the nation for sprint football.

“This is a fun and growing collegiate sport and we couldn’t be more excited,” James Lentini, president of Molloy University, said. “Molloy is fortunate to have a thriving body of successful student-athletes, and sprint football is a positive addition that will enhance the campus experience for the entire University.”

During the season the Lions will compete against legendary programs including Army West Point, Cornell University, the United State Naval Academy and the University of Pennsylvania.

The roster consists of 33 players that were recruited from all parts of Long Island and New York City. Brian Hughes, a mainstay in the Long Island football community with an accomplished career that spans more than 40 years, will lead the Lions as the program’s head coach.

“This is a brand-new concept on Long Island, this is a new situation for me as a head coach, and the support and enthusiasm from the Molloy community makes it all the more special,” Hughes said. “I am beyond excited to get to work building this program on the foundation of the Molloy University mission.”

Most recently, Hughes helped lead the LIU Post Pioneers to seven Northeast-10 Conference Championships and qualified for six NCAA Tournaments. His programs were consistently among the top of Division II on both sides of the football and those under his tutelage earned multiple awards both on and off the field, on the conference and national levels. Hughes has been the recipient of a multitude of awards, including being named the Division II Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association.

“I look forward to the excitement that sprint football will create for our University and our community,” Athletics Director Susan Cassidy-Lyke said. “The opportunity to compete against institutions that set the bar high academically and athletically is of the utmost importance to us, and the CSFL is the perfect fit. Our student-athletes have always been successful, and I am confident that Coach Hughes will share these expectations for his future student-athletes.”

Tickets for the first game of the season are on sale now. For more information visit MolloyLions.com.