MURFREESBORO, N.C. – A brawl at the end of the Chowan-Delta State football game Saturday ended with six Chowan players being suspended by the Gulf South Conference.
One Hawks player will be suspended for the season and barred from the travel squad and stadium for the remainder of the season. A non-team individual will be barred from the stadium for the remainder of the season
No Delta State players were suspended. Chowan issued a lengthy apology on Monday (see below).
The game was called with 4:16 to go and Delta State leading 42-18. A running play by Delta State went out of bounds on the Chowan sidelines. The live stream of the game captured the ensuing melee, which included a Chowan player swinging a helmet repeatedly at a Delta State player. Another video, posted to social media by Delta State coach Todd Cooley, showed a fan swinging a helmet, apparently from the bleachers.
A disturbing third video clip posted to Twitter showed a Delta State player, with his helmet still on, pinned up against a fence and taking repeated shots from Chowan players and fans.
Chowan is making a two-year stay in the Gulf South Conference before joining Conference Carolinas, which is adding football in 2025.
The Hawks are scheduled to make a return trip to Delta State next season. The next Chowan home game is Saturday, Sept. 23 when Benedict visits for a non-conference showdown. Chowan will play at Shorter this Saturday.
Here is the full text of the apology issued by Chowan on Monday:
Chowan University Athletics formally issues a public apology following an incident that ultimately concluded the Delta State at Chowan football contest on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
“Speaking on behalf of the entire Chowan University Department of Athletics, we would like to formally apologize to the Delta State University football players, their coaching staff, fans, and parents for the deplorable behavior that some of our football student-athletes chose to exhibit on Saturday in the final minutes of the fourth quarter,” stated Patrick Mashuda, Director of Athletics. “The behavior shown by some is completely unacceptable and not indicative of the type of program that best represents Chowan University, the athletic department, and the football program.”
Mashuda continued, “We have always prided ourselves on providing a great game atmosphere in a safe environment for fans and teams alike. We are committed to upholding the penalties that the Gulf South Conference has enacted as well as reviewing ways to ensure that this type of incident does not happen in the future.”
“After a thorough investigation by the Gulf South Conference and members of Chowan University administration, swift and decisive action was taken to ensure all parties involved in the incident were held accountable. I would like to thank Gulf South Commissioner, Matt Wilson, and Head Coach Paul Johnson for assisting us in the investigation,” concluded Mashuda.
“First and foremost, I want to emphasize that what transpired on the field does not align with the values and principles we hold dear at Chowan University. Our institution stands for sportsmanship, discipline, and respect, both on and off the field. The behavior displayed by some of our players during the incident with Delta State was completely unacceptable and inexcusable,” said Head Coach Paul Johnson.
“I take full responsibility for the actions of our team, as it is my duty to instill in our players the importance of maintaining composure, even in the heat of competition. I deeply regret that I was unable to prevent this incident from happening, and for that, I am truly sorry,” said Johnson.
Addressing Delta State directly, Johnson stated, “I also want to extend my apologies to the Delta State program and their coaching staff. What happened during the game should never have occurred, and we understand the impact it may have had on your team. We respect you as competitors, and this incident does not reflect the level of sportsmanship we aim to uphold.”
To conclude the investigation, Chowan will conduct a football game management and security review for submission to the Gulf South Conference.
