Chicago State University revealed its sports exploratory committee on Jan. 26, 2023. The group assists in evaluating the potential impact of adding a Division I FCS program and additional women’s sports teams to the existing roster of university athletics. (Photo by GoCSUCougars.com)
By Dan Verdun
After announcing in 2023 that it would consider adding a football program, Chicago State University officials have been as quiet as an empty stadium in the dead of winter.
Over the course of the two-year period since that initial announcement, Prairie State Pigskin has requested interviews or official comments over a dozen times from Chicago State administrators, who launched the idea — and a fundraising effort — for a potential FCS program, which would be the fifth in Illinois.
But all has been mum at CSU, from athletic director Monique Carroll, other athletic department staff, communications department personnel and members of the board of directors.
After multiple requests over the past two weeks, CSU sent a brief Tuesday e-mail, saying it was not ready to comment publicly and is “working diligently” to provide a factual update. The response also stated that CSU would release a statement in the near future.
Per the school’s website, CSU first referenced the possible addition of a football program on Jan. 26, 2023, when it also announced members of an exploratory committee.
The university said the committee “will assist in evaluating the potential impact of adding a Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) program and additional women’s sports teams to the existing roster of university athletics.”
The committee was described by CSU as “a combination of advisory and working group members and includes a cross-section of strategic partners well versed in the Chicago sports landscape.” The group included two former Chicago Bears, area high school football coaches, Chicago business leaders and non-profit directors, along with CSU faculty, staff and students.
In Sept. 2023, CSU announced it would begin fundraising to expand its Division I sports offerings. The school established an initial goal of $4 million to support the expansion with an emphasis on women’s athletics.
Conference affiliation
Chicago State accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference in December 2023. CSU offers 15 varsity intercollegiate athletic programs, all of which are sponsored by the NEC. The Cougars field seven men’s teams and eight women’s teams.
The NEC features eight schools that field football teams at the FCS level, which is the same division that Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois are members. EIU and WIU compete in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association, while ISU and SIU play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The NEC football members are Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Long Island University, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Saint Francis, Stonehill and Wagner. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
Prairie State Pigskin recently requested comment from the NEC on Chicago State’s football status.
“Chicago State has not officially announced anything yet, so for the time being, we are respecting that and are sending all media requests and inquiries their way,” a conference spokesperson said.
Field of dreams
Since Chicago State does not currently have a football field and there have been no announced plans to construct one should the Cougars field a team, one possibility could be playing at a Chicago Public Schools facility.
CPS has not responded to an interview request.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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