The Mercer Bears football team recorded its first ever victory in the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs, beating the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, 17-7, in Macon. The Bulldogs, who were the champions of the Big South Conference, came into the game riding a five-game win streak while Mercer had won six of their last seven contests.
As the 2023-2024 basketball season approaches, here is what to expect from Mercer’s men’s and women’s teams this year.
Mercer won Saturday against Wofford 31-17, continuing the trend of teams denying Wofford any wins this season. The win moved the Bears up to 3-2 against Southern Conference opponents, while the Terriers languish at the bottom of the Conference table with a 0-5 record.
Mercer lost at home on Saturday, falling to 20th-ranked Chattanooga, 22-10. The result moved Mercer’s overall record to 4-3, 2-2 in the Southern Conference, while Chattanooga is 5-2, and 4-1 in the SoCon.
“He’s a great student, great person. He’s a guy who has some maturity about him,” Head Coach Drew Cronic said about defensive stalwart Ken Standley ‘24 at a recent press conference. “He’s a kid I’ll bring in my office just to ask him what he thinks about stuff cause I think I’m gonna get a mature answer from a person within the program.”
Mercer grabbed an away win on Saturday, beating Eastern Tennessee State University for the first time while on the road, 24-6. The win puts Mercer at a 4-2 record on the season, and a 2-1 record in the SoCon, which puts them fourth in the standings.
Mercer won its first SoCon game of the season on Saturday when it took on the Virginia Military Institute over family weekend. The Bears came out on top, 38-3, after a strong show from their defense, as well as big-yardage plays from their offense and special teams.
Mercer’s men’s soccer team is opening up their conference games this week against Virginia Military Institute this Saturday at 1 p.m. Since the first game of the season, the team has not lost.
Mercer women’s soccer takes on the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs at 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
"False start: Everyone but the center," referee Jason Graham said as he gave the Bears a 5-yard penalty on a punt, sending them back to their own 19-yard line. Nevertheless, Mercer would go on to win the game against Morehead State on Saturday, 48-22.
Mercer fell to No. 22 Ole Miss in their second season game 73-7. The Bears are preparing for their first home game against Morehead State University on Saturday.
Mercer takes its first win in its kickoff game against the Lions. Coach Cronic promises that the players will continue to improve.
Harrison Drake ‘23 recalled the day his coach made his dream come true: “Are you still wanting to be a part of the Mercer basketball team?” “Hell yeah, Coach.”
“He always made it a point to say ‘hi,’ come over and give a hug or wave from across the way,” one student said.
Mercer’s baseball team hosted Georgia Southern on Wednesday, March 22, losing 12-11. The team faced the same Georgia Southern team earlier in the season, losing 11-0 in that contest in Statesboro.
Solutions by The State News