Athletic Report
November 17, 1999

EASTERN NEW MEXICO LEFT OUT OF NCAA PLAYOFF SELECTIONS
PORTALES, NM — The Eastern New Mexico University football team was overlooked when the NCAA National Football Committee selected the field for the 1999 NCAA Division II Playoffs. A total of 16 teams — 4 per region — were selected for the single-elimination playoffs.

ENMU and the rest of the Lone Star Conference are part of the West Region, which also includes the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and several independents. Eastern finished the season with an 8-3 overall record, while earning an LSC South Division co-championship with a 6-3 record. Pairings for the West Region in the first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs are Central Oklahoma (8-2) at California-Davis (9-1) and Western Washington (8-2) at Northeastern State, Okla. (8-3).

All first round games will be played on Sat., Nov. 20. Cal-Davis was the Region’s top team and a logical choice for playoff selection. Central Oklahoma was less certain, having lost its final two games to SE Oklahoma, 20-14, and Northeastern State, 12-7, after barely getting past SW Oklahoma, 18-16, three weeks ago.

Northeastern State gained momentum with its win over Central Oklahoma, but the Redmen finished with an identical overall record to ENMU and lost to the Greyhounds, 20-14, Sept. 25 in Tahlequah, Okla.

Western Washington played a weak schedule, and earned its eight victories over teams with a combined record of 31-47. Other first round pairings: South Region — Arkansas Tech (9-2) at Carson-Newman (10-0), Fort Valley State (9-2) at Catawba (10-1); Northeast Region — Indiana, Pa. (7-3) at Slippery Rock, Pa. (10-1), Millersville, Pa. (8-2) at Shepherd, W.V. (9-1); Midwest Region — Pittsburg State, Kan. (10-1) at Northern Colorado (10-1), North Dakota (9-1) at Northwest Missouri (10-1).

Despite being left out of the playoff selections, ENMU had an outstanding season in 1999. The Greyhounds recorded their second consecutive 8-3 record. ENMU’s South Division co-championship was the Hounds’ first title since winning the LSC crown in 1991, when the conference had just one division.