Yankton, SD  (Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan)  Mount Marty College announced today (Tuesday) that it will add football, targeting full varsity competition in the 2022 season.

“We’re extremely excited to bring college football back to Yankton after a 35-year absence and we look forward to the growth it will foster,” said MMC President Marcus Long. “The use of Crane-Youngworth Field is a great partnership between the Yankton School District and Mount Marty College to improve sports offerings in the area.”

College football has not been played in Yankton since Yankton College closed in 1984, with the exception of the 2001 University of South Dakota season opener. USD played Wayne State in Yankton that season due to delays in the construction of the permanent roof on the DakotaDome.

”This is a great move for the Lancers, not only will the addition of football bring us into alignment with the offerings at other GPAC (Great Plains Athletic Confernece) schools, but the need for additional athletes will allow us to expand our recruitment footprint in the region,” said MMC Athletic Director Chris Kassin . “We have a lot to offer these students; by the fall of 2020 the fieldhouse will be complete, and our players will benefit from training in that first-class facility. They’ll also be privileged to call the excellent facilities at Crane-Youngworth Field their home turf.”

MMC will play its home games at historic Crane-Youngworth Field, currently home to Yankton High School football and soccer, as well as Mount Marty soccer. As part of an arrangement with YHS, MMC agreed to contribute money toward the installation of an artificial turf playing field in exchange for access to the field for sports practice and competition. Additionally, in December 2018, MMC was gifted with funds to purchase land adjacent to Westside Park. This practice field, located east of campus, will serve as a practice field for the football and soccer teams.