Emory and Henry College - Athletics

Athletics

Emory & Henry College’s sports teams, nicknamed the “Wasps,” participate in NCAA Division III in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). The college fields men’s teams in football, soccer, basketball, baseball, cross country and tennis and women’s teams in cross country, volleyball, basketball, softball, soccer, tennis and swimming.

The E&H Wasps are credited with inventing an American football offensive formation, named in the college's honor, that divides the offensive line and wide receivers into three groupings of three. While it is primarily used today as a trick play, it was revived in 2007 as an integral part of the A-11 offense, a high school football offensive scheme that was eventually banned due to the exploitation of loopholes in the high school rulebooks. The offense inspired Steve Spurrier to use variations of it as a trickplay formation at Florida and South Carolina named "Emory & Henry", as Spurrier attended Wasps games as a child growing up in nearby Johnson City, Tennessee. The formation is featured on EA Sports' NCAA Football 07 video game as well.

The Emory and Henry football team has a long storied history claiming 11 ODAC Conference Championships (more than any other member of the ODAC) since the league's inception in 1976, and appearing in the Tangerine Bowl (currently called the Capital One Bowl) during the 1949 and 1950 seasons. They have also managed to make it to the 1987 NCAA DIII Semifinal game under coach Lou Wacker before losing to now Division I Wagner College, and well as making it to the DIII playoffs numerous times. E&H also boasted the nations longest home game winning streak in 1999 at 37 games. In 2004, Y'all magazine listed Emory & Henry among the 40 colleges and universities in the South with the greatest football traditions. "Not to be overshadowed by neighboring Division I powerhouses . . .Winning seasons plus pride and pageantry equals one of the greatest Southern football traditions."

The Wasps football team began play in 1893 beating Virginia Tech 6–0, and have won games against other Division I programs such as Appalachian State, Marshall, The University of Central Florida, and Middle Tennessee State. The Wasps oldest current football rival is Hampden-Sydney College who first played the Wasps in 1922.

Emory & Henry College has had three players drafted to the NFL over the years. The most notable being Sonny Wade (class of '69) who went on to play several years in the CFL.

The Emory & Henry Football team is currently coached by Don Montgomery who played at Mt. Union College (Class of 1977), and helped the Purple Raiders win seven DIII National Championships.

Fight Song "Rah, Rah, for Emory!"

We're Emory born and Emory bred And when we die we'll be Emory dead! So Rah, Rah, for Emory & Henry! Rah, Rah, for Emory & Henry! Rah, Rah, for Emory! Rah, Rah, Rah! Old Blue and Gold will reign on high, We'll win this game to DAY OR DIE! So Rah, Rah, for Emory & Henry! Rah, Rah, for Emory & Henry! Rah, Rah, for Emory! Rah, Rah, Rah!"