Apprentice Announces Full 2025 Football Schedule

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School football team has announced the 2025 slate of games, including the first ever New South Athletic Conference football schedule set to start on September 20.

“This is an extremely exciting time for Apprentice football,” said head coach Vincent Brown. “We have eagerly anticipated joining a conference for the last seven years since I became involved with the football program, and now we have a home. This is a great opportunity for our football program to receive the recognition it deserves, weekly awards, as well as player-of-the-year recognition, and a chance to win a conference championship and play for a championship in Atlanta. I’m extremely grateful for our athletic director and his team for getting this done.”

The Builders will be in the North Division of the NSAC, joining South Carolina Central, Barber-Scotia, and Clayton State. The South Division will include Lighthouse Christian, John Melvin (FL), Westgate, and Gordon State.

The season kicks off with a road trip to Southern Virginia September before opening up a five-game home slate of games on September 13 against North Carolina Wesleyan. The Builders will play back-to-back at home as they will host South Carolina Central in the first conference game of the year on September 20 for Homecoming.

After a trip to Methodist on September 27, Apprentice will host its annual Hall of Fame Weekend that will culminate with a home game against Alfred State on October 4. Then, the Builders will jump back into NSAC play with a neutral-site game against Lighthouse Christian on October 11 in Dahlonega, Georgia. It will be the first college football game to ever be played in Lumpkin County.

The Builders will return home for its final two home games the next two weeks, playing host to Keystone College October 18 before an NSAC game against Barber-Scotia on October 25. The regular season concludes November 1 on the road in conference action against Clayton State.

Should the Builders finish atop the North Division, the conference championship game will take place November 15 in Atlanta against the South Division champion.

“We have a great schedule this year, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” said Brown. “I look forward to Builder Nation being there every step of the way.”

Story courtesy gobuilders.com; image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson @shotsbyk8lyn

NSAC Football Welcomes Clayton State, Gordon State

In preparing to launch football this fall, the New South Athletic Conference has voted to accept Clayton State University of Morrow, Georgia, and Gordon State College of Barnesville, Georgia as affiliate members. Both schools will compete as football-only members beginning in the fall of 2025.

“We are deeply honored to accept membership to the New South Athletic Conference, said Clayton State football coach Kevin Adkins, whose team played in the National Club Football Association (NCFA) championship in November. “This is an important step to growing Clayton State football throughout the Southeast region and on a national level. It is truly a privilege to be part of such a prestigious conference that is growing steadily. I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with others who are passionate about giving Clayton State football a platform to compete at a high level while encouraging our student athletes to graduate. Thank you once again for this incredible opportunity. I am confident that NSAC will be a fruitful forum for advancing our student athletes and fostering new collaborations.”

“We are happy to be a part of this new and upcoming conference,” added Gordon State coach Omar Quisenberry. “This move will change the narrative towards Gordon State College football in an awesome way. We thank Commissioner Mike Davis for reaching out to us and extending the invitation to us to be a part of the NSAC. Now, LET’S PLAY SOME FOOTBALL!!!”

In 2024, the Highlanders finished second to the Clayton State Lakers in the NCFA South Atlantic Conference.

“Clayton State and Gordon State bring traditions of excellence and professionalism to the table,” said Davis. “They represent what the New South is seeking to uphold in college athletics: integrity, respect, sportsmanship, and honor. We’re excited to have the Lakers and Highlanders as part of the NSAC Family.”

CSU and GSU join six full-time NSAC members for the conference’s first season on the gridiron: The Apprentice School (Newport News, Virginia); Atlantis University (Miami, Florida); John Melvin Christian College (Pace, Florida); Lighthouse Christian College (Milton, Florida); South Carolina Central Christian College (Cayce, South Carolina); and Westgate Christian University (Houston, Texas).

Apprentice, Atlantis to Meet in Saturday’s Neptune Bowl

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – New South members Apprentice And Atlantis will wrap up their 2024 football seasons at the Neptune Bowl, presented by DoubleTree by Hilton, Saturday afternoon at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. The Builders will play in the bowl game for the third time in program history, taking on Atlantis University for the first time ever.

Tickets are on sale now with presale tickets going for $20, while tickets at the gate Saturday afternoon will go for $25. Tailgating packages start at $50. All tickets and tailgating packages can be purchased at the link above or by going to beachsportsplex.com/neptune-bowl.

Tailgating opens in the parking lots at 10 a.m. Gates open at 12:30 p.m. with kickoff set for 2 p.m. Saturday.

Apprentice is 1-1 in Neptune Bowl games all-time and is 5-5 on the season. Atlantis is also 5-5 coming into the bowl game.

NSAC Launching Football in 2025

After years of planning, negotiation, and collaboration, the New South Athletic Conference is pleased to announce that it will add football as its next sport beginning in the fall of 2025.

“It think football will bring a major focus to us,” said NSAC President Joel Williams, AD and head football coach at Atlantis University. “It think that people are going to catch on to the vision of what the New South is trying to do. Football is a great commodity for a school to have and makes enrollment more attractive.”

“It’s been a long time in coming because we wanted to do it right,” added commissioner Mike Davis. “Several of our current members already have football and wanted a home for their team. They will now have that as well as a competitive spot for their other sports.”

Current members with football programs include The Apprentice School, Atlantis, John Melvin University (Louisiana), Lighthouse Christian College, South Carolina Central Christian College, and Westgate Christian University. John Melvin Christian College (Florida) is adding football next year.

Talks continue with a number of other schools across the South who are considering joining as well. Watch for updates at newsouthconference.com/football.

Photo by Riley McCullough on Unsplash