COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA

The 2018 Reiver Football season will have a special feel to it.  For the first time in Program history the Reivers will play on a weekday, kicking off the program's 10th season under the lights on Thursday, August 23rd at Coffeyville Community College.  The 7 o'clock kickoff from Veterans Memorial Stadium will be broadcast on Iowa Western's 100,000 watt FM station, 89.7 the River / http://www.897theriver.com/stream.asp with the video webstream available at http://goreivers.com/information/reiver-sports-network with Jake Ryan and Russ Nelsen on the call.

'It's going to be exciting to get the season started under the lights on the first official day we can play', Head Coach Scott Strohmeier said.  'The guys will be amped up to see how they match-up with a top-tier program like Coffeyville and it's going to be a good opportunity to not only educate our team, but both teams' fans about organ donation'.

Coffeyville Head Coach Aaron Flores has suffered from Acute Interstitial Lung Disease since 2004 and recently received a life-saving double lung transplant.  The Reivers and Ravens donned green ribbon stickers on their helmets to show their support for Coach Flores in last season's Iowa Western win in Coffeyville.  The ribbon has never left the famed visor that Coach Strohmeier wears during practices and games, a small tribue to one of many in the coaching community that the 10th year Iowa Western Coach calls a friend, 'I just encourage everyone to become an organ donor, it truly is the gift of somone's life and I know for Aaron it's meant everything'. 

You can get more information on becoming an organ donor in your state by logging on to https://organdonor.gov/register.html

Iowa Western returns several key pieces from one of the top ranked defenses in the country.  Last season's squad finished 11-1 and 2nd in the final NJCAA poll after a 36-19 win over 5th ranked Northwest Mississippi in the Graphic Edge Bowl.  The team will however be replacing most of their high-powered offense, with running back Mekhi Sargent and quarterback Kurt Walding both accepting Division 1 offers over the summer.  Sargent to the University of Iowa, while Walding heads to Arizona State.  Defensive Linemen Chester Graves and Malcolm Lee will be the most heralded players coming into camp after strong freshman campaigns, but the Reivers expect this year's squad to again be loaded with potential D-1 talent.

For the complete 2018 schedule, click here: http://goreivers.com/sports/fball/2018-19/schedule-all

The team reports to campus in Council Bluffs for fall camp on Wednesday, August 1st.  Follow @ReiverFootball on Twitter for schedule news, behind the scenes info and more leading up to the 10th season of Reivers' football.