WTAMU bid on the event and were awarded over the summer and will play host to the NJCAA national championship this year through the 2027 football season.
The game features Hutchinson County Community College out of Kansas and Iowa Western that is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and set to be aired nationally on ESPNU.
“We are hopeful the community will come out and support this championship event,” WTAMU athletic director Doug Lipinski said. “This is a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful campus, Canyon and the entire Amarillo-area. Bringing these types of events to the Texas Panhandle is an important part of our mission at West Texas A&M, as it will have a positive economic impact on the region.”
For fans interested in attending, general admission tickets are available at the gate for $15. Kids under the age of four get in free.
Head coach Drew Dallas of Hutchinson CC and Iowa Western head coach Scott Strohmeier are very excited to play a national championship game in a football haven like the state of Texas and a tremendous facility like Bain-Schaeffer Stadium.
“We have great community support,” said Dallas, who is in his fifth season as the Blue Dragons head football coach. “We know we’ll travel well to Canyon, but I’m excited our team gets to play in such a top-notch facility that WTAMU has. This is the perfect place for a national championship, and we can’t wait.”
Strohmeier echoed Dallas’ comments.
“I’ve never been to West Texas A&M,” said Strohmeier, who started the Reivers football program 15 years ago. “I do know their (WTAMU) head coach Josh Lynn and we had a player Devon Paye transfer from Iowa Western and had a successful career at West Texas A&M. I’m glad this national title game has a new home, and we are excited for the opportunity.”
These two teams are definitely no strangers to each other or success at the junior college level. Hutchinson CC (10-1 overall) won the national championship five years ago and are playing in their third national title game in five years.
Iowa Western (11-1) is on a roll of late as the two-time defending NJCAA Division I national champions.
The Blue Dragons and Reivers have also built quite the rivalry with this being the fifth meeting in the past four years. The two even played earlier this season with Hutchinson CC edging Iowa Western in quite the ball game 38-37 on Sept. 7.
“These have always been great games between us,” Dallas said. “We know each other very well. I don’t take much out of that first meeting because we’ve both developed so much from three months ago. It will be another fantastic game, and fans will be in for a treat.”
One thing fans in attendance can expect, is to watch future Division I players making impacts for major college programs on Saturdays in the future with an estimated 30 players signed to four-year schools going forward.
“If you haven’t watched a JUCO game you are going to see great football and two very talented programs,” Strohmeier said. “These are two of the best in the country with guys you’ll be seeing on TV next year.”
Dallas agreed.
“Fans are going to see elite talent on the field,” Dallas said. “We have 15 players signed to Division I programs right now and we’ve had over 30 the past couple years. You are going to be watching players you’ll know very well in the future.”
A look at Iowa Western
The Reivers have one of the best passing attacks in the country leading the nation in passing yards and yards per game and are second in passing touchdowns.
Quarterback Hunter Dekkers leads the Iowa Western attack with 3,413 passing yards and 30 touchdowns on a 65.1 percent competition percentage. Dekkers’ 284.4 yards per game leads the nation.
The wide receiver duo of Titus Myers and Fresh Walters have been formidable for opposing defenses to defend on the outside. Myers leads the team with 830 yards and eight touchdowns, while Walters leads the team with 69 receptions, holding 811 yards and seven touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, Iowa Western holds one of the steadier units in the country. Three Reivers have 10 plus tackles for loss on the season, and 2023 NJCAA DI Honorable Mention All-America Walt Gray leads the team with nine sacks. Lucas Struck leads the team in tackles with 68 on the season.
A look at Hutchinson CC
Hutchinson’s offensive attack is one of the most prolific in NJCAA football.
It averages 46.6 points per game and leads the nation in yards at 478.1. Running back Waymond Jordan Jr. leads the nation in rushing with 1,533 yards on the season and is the only NJCAA rusher with 20 touchdowns.
Signal caller Samari Collier holds 1,293 yards passing with 18 touchdowns on the season. On the ground, Collier has rushed for 515 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Blue Dragon defense has smothered opponents all year, allowing more than 30 points only twice and holding three shutouts. They rank ninth in the nation in sacks and have 14 interceptions on the year.
Sophomore Kedrick Walker leads the team in tackles with 61 while also totaling 8.0 tackles for loss. Sophomore defensive end Marshon Oxley leads the team in sacks (9.0) and tackles for loss (11.0).