Wittenberg reaches 700-win plateau
| Athletic director Garnett
Purnell and university provost Chris Duncan receive the game ball
from Wittenberg captains Corey Weber, Seth Parker and Zach
Hurtt. Wittenberg athletics photo by David Pence |
| The Tigers came out with a
roar on Sunday afternoon and put Capital away 45-28. Wittenberg athletics photo by David Pence |
Wittenberg milestone victories1 – 1893: 64-0 at Heidelberg |
Wittenberg became the first non-Division I program to reach 700 all-time wins in football when it defeated Capital 45-28 on Sunday afternoon.
The game had been continued over from Saturday night, when it was suspended shortly after the beginning of the third quarter because of weather.
Wittenberg is just the 19th NCAA program, regardless of division, to surpass 700 all-time wins, joining the likes of some of the most storied college football programs, including Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama and Notre Dame. Wittenberg’s all-time record now stands at 700-347-32 since the first recorded game in 1892, a history that spans parts of three centuries and five national championships.
Wittenberg, ranked 20th in the D3football.com preseason poll, boasts more wins than any other Division II or III team and five national championships, including the first Division III Tournament title in 1973. The program’s most recent title came in 1975, the same year Wittenberg picked up win No. 400. Prior poll national titles are credited in 1962, 1964 and 1969.
The most recent program to join this elite fraternity was Auburn with a 49-31 victory vs. Georgia on Nov. 13, 2010. Auburn’s 703rd all-time win – a 22-19 decision over Oregon on Jan. 10, 2011 – came in the BCS championship game.
Division III all-time wins leaders
700 – Wittenberg
685 – Mount Union
676 – Washington and Jefferson
643 – Widener
623 – Williams
613 – Wabash
591 – Amherst
582 – Franklin and Marshall
573 – St. John's
573 – Westminster (Pa.)
Through Sept. 4, 2011
