NEWPORT NEWS — As Christopher Newport University gets ready for the 2025 football season, WYDaily caught up with CNU’s head coach ahead of Saturday afternoon’s kickoff.
The Captains spent much of 2024 in the win column, amassing a 7-3 final record. Two of those losses came from top 10-ranked teams in Johns Hopkins and Salisbury University. Ultimately, the team finished second in the NJAC Conference.
“We finished 7-3 for the third year in a row in the regular season and finished second in our conference. We didn’t quite reach the goal that we had in mind with winning the conference, but still had a successful year and had some players have very good seasons individually,” shared Head Coach Paul Crowley, who is entering his fourth season at the helm.
The 2025 season also marks the 25th anniversary of the football program at Christopher Newport. During the season, each home game will be themed to celebrate the anniversary, culminating with the Nov. 1 game where the 2001 team will be honored.
Crowley, who played for the program in the early 2000s, is proud to lead the team in its 25th season.
“It’s special. I got here the fifth year of the program as a player. Through the course of being the head coach, I have gotten to know the guys that I didn’t play with those first four years and they are just a great group of guys. Then, pretty much every other player, I’ve made some kind of relationship with. Coaching — X’s and O’s — is fun, but catching up and seeing what guys are doing with their lives now, how they’ve grown into men, fathers, have great careers, that part of it really, really cool,” Crowley said.
Throughout training camp and ahead of the season opener, Crowley and his coaching staff have been instilling in the players appreciating every moment on the field.
“We are making sure that they are doing everything they can in their preparation in the six days leading up to a game. We want them to play their best on that Saturday, while also remembering that it is an honor to wear the uniform,” Crowley said.
CNU’s home slate includes games against Trine University, Susquehanna University, Kean University, Montclair State University, and Salisbury University. Away games include visits to Gettysburg College, Rowan University, Vermont State University Castleton, William Paterson University, and The College of New Jersey.
Crowley invites the greater Hampton Roads area to TowneBank Stadium for a Captains game this season.
“Dating back to my high school days, if people haven’t been to a CNU game, it’s one of the best — if not the best — atmospheres in division three football. We got a great band, great atmosphere. It feels the way college football is supposed to feel. Our roster is full of Virginia guys, we have specifically tried to recruit the state of Virginia, and Hampton Roads in particular. We know the importance of 757 football and our roster is littered with those guys,” Crowley said.
The Captains will open the season today at 1 p.m. against Trine University in Newport News at TowneBank Stadium. Tickets for the game are on sale through CNUSports.com.