Centenary hasn't fielded a football team since before the U.S. entered World War II, but the Gents aim to return in 2024.

Football is making its return to Centenary College, president Christopher L. Holman announced Wednesday, Nov. 10.

The school is the third current member of Division III to announce a new program in the past two months, following Eastern and Hilbert, which are both planning to play games in 2022. Centenary is aiming to start play in 2024.

Centenary has just 535 full-time undergraduates as of its most recent filing with the U.S. Department of Education and would be among the smallest of schools sponsoring Division III football.

"For more than 120 years, athletics has been an important part of the student experience at Centenary College," said Holoman at a morning event at the college's Mayo Field. "We haven't played football here for quite some time, but the wait is over. Today, I am so excited and proud to announce that Centenary will be bringing college football back to Shreveport-Bossier City."

Centenary's previous football history began with the Gents' first game in the fall of 1894 and ended in November 1941, with a brief attempted revival in the 1960s. More than 50 years later, the decision has been made to bring the sport back with an expected initial season set for the fall of 2024. Applications to join a conference will begin immediately and the search for a head coach is underway. A hire is expected to be made in early 2022.

"With the growing enrollment within the department of athletics, we have an opportunity to add college football to the arsenal of athletic programs and expand the reach of supporting successful opportunities for future Centenary student-athletes," said athletic director David Orr. "Additionally, this is an opportunity to engage the Shreveport-Bossier City community with Centenary College, through arguably the most community-engaged sport: football."

Centenary is currently a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference for all sports except women's gymnastics (Midwest Independent Conference) and men's lacrosse (Heartland Collegiate Lacrosse Conference). The athletic department features 19 varsity squads.

Board of Trustees chairman Archer Frierson spoke about the board's support for this new initiative.

"We are very excited about the future and believe that this decision will result in positive growth all across the college, not only in athletics," said Frierson. "As a former college football player, I understand that having a football team playing on campus generates excitement and brings the community together. I am grateful for the work of the football feasibility study led by my fellow trustee Ross Barrett, that examined the question from all angles and did due diligence with regard to finances and other resources."

On Wednesday, Holoman announced that Centenary has already received gifts of more than $1.25 million to support the re-establishment of football. Improvements will be made to Mayo Field, current home of the Ladies and Gents soccer teams and the Gents lacrosse team, in preparation for the facility to also host the new football team. In conjunction with the school's upcoming bicentennial in 2025, Centenary will be embarking on a number of capital and curricular projects to support students, professors, and programs.

"Today represents one of the final steps in a careful process rooted in our current strategic plan that, along other initiatives, calls for exploring new athletic opportunities," said Holoman. "I am so grateful for the enthusiastic support that we have received from the Shreveport-Bossier City community and we look forward to hosting exciting college football Saturdays right here in the heart of the city."