Drexel Dragons football


Drexel Dragons football represented Drexel University in college football. The first intercollegiate game was played in 1898 against Ursinus College, which Drexel won 16–0. In 1909 the school discontinued football for lack of a proper playing field until in 1911, when Anthony J. Drexel’s estate in Runnymede, Delaware County, was used as athletic grounds with a field laid out for football. The team was also suspended in 1943 due to wartime.
Following the 1973 season, the team was once again discontinued due to funding issues.

History

The first football team at Drexel University was formed by students in 1892. The team played its first scheduled season in 1895. Most early games took place in Fairmount Park. Later on, the team played on what was known as "Drexel Field" located at 46th and Haverford Ave. In 1963, the team moved its home games to a new Drexel Field at 43rd and Powelton Ave, which would later be named Vidas field.
The Dragons were members of two conferences in their history. From 1937 to 1940, the Dragons were members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, in which they won the championship in 1937. After 1940, they were again an Independent school until 1958 when the team joined the Middle Atlantic Conferences in the College–Southern division. Previously, other athletic programs at Drexel were members of the conference, however they were a non-football member until the 1958 season. The Dragons remained in the conference and division until 1970, when the school became members of the University Division of the conference. However, that same year the University Division of the conference folded its football division, leaving Drexel an independent until the team was discontinued after the 1973 season.

Nickname

In the time that there was a football team at Drexel University, the athletic teams went through multiple name changes. At different points, the team was also known as the "Engineers," the "Blue and Gold," and the "Drexelites" before finally settling with the "Dragons."

Conference championships

In 1937, the Dragons won the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championship by defeating Franklin and Marshall.
In 1962, the team was Middle Atlantic Conference College–Southern division co-champions, finishing the season with a 5–1 record within the conference.

Notable players and statistics

End of the team

Following the 1973 season, the football team was discontinued in order to redistribute the funds among other intercollegiate sports and intramural programs.