U.S. Naval Academy Secures Record Eighth-Straight Bowl Game Selection

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- The Naval Academy has qualified to play in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl Dec. 23 as a result of its Nov. 6 victory over East Carolina.

Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk said the game will be played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego against a projected opponent from the Mountain West Conference. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN, and the game time is set for 5 p.m. PST, 8 p.m. locally.

Qualifying for the Poinsettia Bowl is a landmark achievement for the football program as it marks the first time in school history that Navy has gone to eight-straight bowl games.

"We strongly encourage Navy fans to buy their bowl tickets directly from the Naval Academy Athletic Association," said Gladchuk. "Our goal is to bring a large contingent of the Brigade of Midshipmen, and we expect more than 20,000 Navy fans in the stands. It is very important for this game and for future Navy bowl considerations for our fans to purchase tickets through the NAAA.

"If you can't make it to the game, we ask that Navy fans buy tickets for our midshipmen and enlisted personnel, which will allow us to create the usual pageantry of Navy football. San Diego is a Navy town, and it would be great if we could send any interested enlisted personnel and their family to the game," said Gladchuk.

For more news from U.S. Naval Academy, visit www.navy.mil/local/usna/.