April 1, 2009

PITTSBURGH - A 1,157-mile trip to Thibodaux, Louisiana to face Nicholls State, highlights the non-conference portion of the 2009 Duquesne football schedule released today.

In all, the Dukes, who return 15 starters from last year's 3-7 team, play five games at home and six on the road as they begin their second season as members of the Northeast Conference.

The Dukes open under the lights at Rooney Field against Bucknell on Sept. 5, marking the eighth time in the past 13 years Duquesne will face Bucknell in the season-opener. The Bison, a member of the Patriot League, defeated Duquesne 48-42 last year at Bucknell.

The following weekend, Duquesne will make its first trip west of the Mississippi since a 1947 game at Saint Louis to face Nicholls State. The game will be Duquesne's first against a member of the Southland Conference.

DU stays on the road for the first of seven games against NEC opponents when it heads to New Jersey to face Monmouth on Sept. 19.

The Dukes, who handed Dayton one of its three losses last season, travel to UD to face the Flyers on Sept. 26.

Duquesne begins a stretch of six consecutive NEC games with a Homecoming match-up against local rival Robert Morris on Oct. 3.

The following weekend, the Dukes head to upstate New York to face defending NEC champion Albany.

DU hosts Central Connecticut State on Oct. 17 before making the short trip to Loretto, Pa. to play in the first night game in DeGol Field history on Oct. 24 at Saint Francis, Pa.

The Dukes return home to play Wagner on Halloween before taking a week off. DU heads to Fairfield, Conn. to play Sacred Heart on Nov. 14 before concluding the season at home with a non-conference game versus Bryant on Nov. 21. Bryant, which qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2006 and 2007, will be in its second season of its four-year transition to Division I. The Bulldogs, who will face all eight Northeast Conference schools in `09, will officially join the NEC in 2012.

For ticket information regarding the 2009 season, fans are encouraged to call 412-232-DUKE (3853).

2009 DUQUESNE FOOTBALL
additional game times to be announced
Date        Opponent                Time
Sept.  5    BUCKNELL                6:00
Sept. 12    at Nicholls State        TBA
Sept. 19    at Monmouth*             TBA
Sept. 26    at Dayton                TBA
Oct.   3    ROBERT MORRIS (HC)*     1:00
Oct.  10    at Albany*              1:00
Oct.  17    CENTRAL CONN. STATE*   12:00
Oct.  24    at Saint Francis, Pa.*  7:00
Oct.  31    WAGNER*                12:00
Nov.  14    at Sacred Heart*         TBA
Nov.  21    BRYANT                 12:00
* - Denotes Northeast Conference games
Home games are played at Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field on the Duquesne campus
For tickets call 412-232-DUKE (3853)

2009 SCHEDULE QUICK NOTES

NIGHT OPENER: DU will open the `09 season under the lights at home with a 6:00 p.m. game against the Patriot League's Bucknell Bison on Sept. 5.

AND ANOTHER: The Dukes will also play the first night game in the history of Saint Francis, Pa.'s DeGol field when they play at SFU on Oct. 24.

LONG TRIP: Duquesne will be making its first trip west of the Mississippi since 1947 when it plays at Nicholls State on Sept. 12. Nicholls State, a member of the Southland Conference, is located in Thibodaux, La.

FIVE AT HOME: The Dukes will play five times at home, with three of the first four games coming on the road.

NON-CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN: DU's four non-conference games will be against one Patriot League school (Bucknell), one Southland Conference school (Nicholls State), one Pioneer League school (Dayton) and one school in its second season of transition to NCAA Division I (Bryant).