The University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh University will meet in the NCAA I-AA Tournament quarterfinal game at noon, Saturday, Dec. 2, in Delaware Stadium.

Led by head coach Harold "Tubby" Raymond, The Blue Hens, with a record of 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the Atlantic 10 conference finished the regular season ranked number two in the Sports Network Top 25 poll.

Under seven-year head coach Kevin Higgins, the Mountain Hawks, ranked 10th in the same poll, finished their season with a 12-0 overall record, including a 6-0 performance in the Patriot League.?

Raymond's eighth appearance as Delaware head coach in I-AA quarterfinal competition came as a result of a 49-14 first-round victory over Portland State, Nov. 25, at Delaware Stadium.

Delaware, led by quarterback Matt Naggy, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 263 yards, amassed a total of 620 yards, surpassing the 500-yard mark for the fifth time this season to capture its first Atlantic 10 Conference title since 1995.

Naggy, who completed 165 of 312 passes, set records for single-season passing yardage at 2,891 yards, and a 13-game streak for completing at least one touchdown pass per game while helping the Blue Hens to their 13th consecutive winning season.

Lehigh remained the only undefeated team in the NCAA I-AA tournament with a 37-7 upset win over seventh-ranked Western Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 25.

Delaware holds a 27-16 margin in the series with Lehigh, which began in 1912. The Blue Hens had won each of the last six games before losing 42-35 in a 1999 contest at Delaware Stadium.

Student tickets can be obtained at the Trabant University Center and Bob Carpenter Center box offices. Hours at the Bob Carpenter Center are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday. Trabant University Center box office hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday. Season football holders can pick up tickets at the season ticket office at the Delaware Field House. General public grandstand tickets are available at $17 and $19 at the Bob Carpenter Center. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster (302) 984-2400 (Delaware) or (215) 336-2000 (Pa.). For more information call UD1-HENS.

–Jerry Rhodes