Stevenson has announced that it is adding football to its roster of 19 NCAA Division III varsity sports. The school will recruit 40 to 50 student-athletes for a developmental season to start in fall 2010 and kick off intercollegiate play in fall 2011.

The Capital Athletic Conference, which currently does not sponsor football, would have four schools with the sport in the fall of 2011, with Stevenson joining Frostburg State, Salisbury and Wesley. Gallaudet, which also sponsors football, plays the sport in the ECFC (formerly the NAC) and will have left the CAC by then for its other sports. If no schools drop the sport or leave Division III, that would raise the number of Division III football programs to an all-time high of 242 that season.

A conference must have seven teams to qualify for an automatic bid. Four of them must be core members, or members in all sports.

The school's board of trustees recently approved the concept of starting a football program at its spring 2009 meeting. Now a logistics committee is moving forward with the development of the program and hiring a new coach this fall. It is the third Division III school to announce that it is adding the sport in 2011, joining Pacific, which recently started its coaching search, and Presentation, which is bringing D-III football to South Dakota. Hendrix has also said it would add football but has not publicly committed to 2011.

"Football is a great fit for Stevenson and reflects our commitment to Division III sports and educating student athletes," said Paul Cantabene, associate athletic director in charge of men's sports. "Current students, alumni and prospective students have all expressed a strong desire in having football here."

Stevenson has witnessed tremendous growth over the past decade, building a new campus in Owings Mills, Md., and increasing its undergraduate population to nearly 2,700 students. The school intends to grow that number to 4,000 and expects that the excitement and interest that football creates will be key to attracting a greater number of students, especially male students.

"Football is such a popular sport and we really believe it is something that will add vitality to our campus," said athletic director Brett Adams.

"Football will complement our existing athletic programs well and expenses will be offset by gains in admissions," added Cantabene.

The institution expects to attract 40-50 students representing strong local and regional high school football talent for its fall 2010 developmental season and at least 40 additional students by fall 2011 for its first varsity season.

Stevenson is bringing football back to the practice facility that was once the home of the Baltimore Colts and later the Ravens. It purchased the Owings Mills facility from the city of Baltimore and the Ravens in 2006. The University has existing practice fields on its two campuses and plans for new stadium on its Owings Mills campus.