Milford chronicle., 1954-09-10
University Sport News

David NJ. Nelson, head football
coach of the University Of Delaware.
revealed today that another big
time gridirOn power has attempted
to schedule the Fighting Blue Hens.
The latest offer for q football date
came from West Virginia University
at MOFgantOwn, West Virginia,
which sought to play the Hens in
an early season opener on Septem-
ber IS. Last year the MOuntaineers
tpOsted an SO record losing only to
South Carolina in regular season
play before bOWing to Georgia Tech
42-19, in post season engagement
at the Sugar Bowl
In the past several seasons, Della
ware has been an attractive sched-
uling target for several larger in
stitutiOns, having received offers
from Miami University of Florida,
VillanoVa University and the Uni
versity Of Tennessee. Miami has an
enrolment Of over 10000 students,
while Tennessee and West Virginia
have we'll over 5000 undergraduates.
VillanOva has less than $500 stu
dents, but all are men. These figures
are considerably larger than Della
wares cO-educatiOnal undergraduate
body Of about 1900
Although Delaware has made
rapid strides in her athletic and
scholastic growth since 1910, Nelson
indicated that the Blue Hens are bv
no means interested in tackIing an
opponent of this stature. In discuss
ing the recent offer, he stated, "The
problem Of scheduling is always a
difficult one, for most teams have
traditional rivals which are met
every year, limiting the number of
new opponents which can be played.
Our continuing objective is to meet
opponents whose educational and
athletic philosophers are similar to
our own. We enjoy competing with
other small state universities like
Connecticut and New Hampshire
whose backgrounds are similar to
DelaWare's. Other institutions such
as Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell. and
Rutgers maintain similar standards
and are considered our level of
competition. I believe that in meet
ing any of tn major teams. we would
not only have a poor chance of
winning that particular game. but
might 1eopardize our success during
the remainder Of the season through
injury to key players"
INnNn Nwnrn1a ea1,o.a.aTl
gone significant changes in the past
few seasons. No opponent met in
1910 remains on the schedule at
the present time. The Blue Hens
rivalry with West Chester began
in l941. Lehigh returned to the
schedule after an eleven year LAPSE
IN 1850. New Hampshire was met
for the first time last season and
the Connecticut series opened in
1851. Gettysburg has been met inter-
since 1909 and Temple was
scheduled in 1950-51 after two earlv
meetings in 1894. Muhlenburg
has been on the card every year
since the 1916 season, while Lafay-
cite grid contests, begun in 1914,
have been played in successive years
since 1949.
Irwin Wisniewski, football end
coach Of the University Of Delaware.
has been appointed varsity basket
ball coach. athletic director David
NJ. Nelson announced recently. Wis
niewski succeeds Fred Emmerson,
pilot Of the Blue Hen basketball
teams since 1949, who left the uni
versity early in August.
WisnieWski, a native OF Toledo.
Ohio, came to the University Of
Delaware in 1852 as freshman
basketball coach and varsity end
coach. He assumed additional duties
last year as mentor Of the freshman
baseball team.