MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan University football program will be under new management this season and will compete in a new conference – then will prepare for another conference jump in 2025.
Chowan tabbed Paul Johnson as its new head coach in January. Johnson comes to Murfreesboro from Bloomsburg University, where he was offensive coordinator and tight ends/wide receivers coach for two seasons. He also spent a decade coaching at Charleston before moving to Bloomsburg.
Johnson replaces Mark Hall, who spent 11 years on Chowan’s staff, including as the head coach beginning in 2020. Hall resigned to take the head job at UNC Pembroke.
Johnson will step into a solid program. Chowan has won seven games the past two seasons, winning the CIAA Northern Division Title this past fall.
“We welcome Paul and his family with open arms to the Chowan University community,” Dr. Kirk Peterson, President of Chowan University, said in a press release announcing the hiring. “Paul brings a wealth of experience at the NCAA D2 level that will be an asset to the football program. We want to see continued forward progress with our football program and, moreover, as young men that will go out into the community after graduation.”
For the next two seasons Chowan will compete in the Gulf South Conference, playing eight league games. The Gulf South, which does not have another North Carolina school, includes Delta State, West Georgia, West Alabama, Shorter, North Greenville (football only), West Florida, Mississippi College and Valdosta State. Erskine will join in 2024 as a football only member for one season.
Starting in the 2025 season, the Chowan Football program will move to the Conference Carolinas. According to school officials, it will be the first time as NCAA Division II members that all of Chowan’s programs will play under one conference umbrella. Conference Carolinas will have six football-playing schools: Barton, UNC Pembroke, Erskine, North Greenville, Shorter and Chowan.
“We look forward to spending the next two seasons playing against some of the toughest opponents that NCAA D2 football has to offer,” Patrick Mashuda, Chowan’s vice president of athletics, said in a press release. “We look ahead towards the bright future of football in Conference Carolinas in 2025, but for 2023 and 2024 we are fully vested in becoming good stewards of the Gulf South Conference in ways that help to develop our student-athletes and coaches.”
New coach Paul Johnson hails from Parkersburg, W.Va. and played college football (offensive line) at Ohio University.
“First off, I want to express my family’s excitement about the opportunity to be a part of the Chowan Football program and the community,” coach Johnson said in a release. “Where the program is, and the vision makes our family a great fit. We want to thank Dr. Kirk Peterson, Athletic Director Patrick Mashuda, and the committee for putting their faith in me to be the next head coach.”
Chowan will kick off the 2023 season at Barton on Thursday, Aug. 31. The first Gulf South Conference game will come the next week against visiting Delta State.
Chowan’s 2023 Schedule
Aug. 31 at Barton
Sept. 9 Delta State*
Sept. 16 at Shorter*
Sept. 30 Valdosta State*
Oct. 7 North Greenville*
Oct. 14 at West Georgia*
Oct. 21 at Mississippi College*
Oct. 28 West Alabama*
Nov. 11 at West Florida*
*denotes Gulf South Conference game
