Campbell Fighting Camels football

Last updated

Campbell Fighting Camels football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2024 Campbell Fighting Camels football team
Campbell football logo.png
First season1925;100 years ago (1925) [a]
Athletic directorHannah Bazemore
Head coach Braxton Harris
1st season, 3–9 (.250)
Stadium Barker–Lane Stadium
(capacity: 6,200)
Field surface FieldTurf
Location Buies Creek, North Carolina
NCAA division Division I FCS
Conference CAA Football
All-time record54–96 (.360)
Rivalries Davidson Wildcats
Consensus All-AmericansCaleb Snead (2018)
ColorsBlack and orange [1]
   
Fight songCampbell University Fight Song
MascotGaylord the Camel; Gladys the Camel
Marching bandSound of the Sandhills
Website GoCamels.com

The Campbell Fighting Camels football program represents Campbell University in American football. The team is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Campbell competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the CAA Football, the football league operated by the multi-sports Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). Campbell's first football team was fielded in 2008, and they play home games at the 5,000-seat Barker–Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, North Carolina.

Contents

The Fighting Camels transitioned to offering scholarships in football (they already offered them in other sports) and joined the Big South in 2018, where most of the school's other sports teams were already competing. [2] In 2023, the football team transitioned into CAA Football, coinciding with the rest of the athletic program joining the multi-sports CAA. [3]

History

Initial Football Program: 1925-1950

Prior to being renamed after university founder J.A. Campbell in 1926, the Buies Creek Academy added football in 1925. The then newly named Campbell Junior College would win North Carolina Junior College State Championships in 1929 and 1932 along with a shared state title in 1939 with Belmont Abbey College and Brevard College.

Campbell would see football halted due to World War II, but would go on to win three straight North Carolina Junior College State titles in 1946, 1947, and 1948. The Korean War brought further strain on the athletics department as well as the increasing number of Campbell's opponents making the transition to 4-year colleges and universities, causing Campbell to drop football as a varsity sport indefinitely. [4]

Non-Football Period: 1951-2007

In the period between football programs, Campbell became a 4-year school in 1961 and began competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 1977, Campbell moved to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and became a founding member of the Big South Conference in 1983.

Football Revival: 2008-Present

In 2006, Campbell University announced that they would be restarting their football program and play Division 1 FCS football in 2008. The Camels would play at the newly built Barker-Lane Stadium, which has hosted Campbell since the revival of Camel Football.

The Camels would begin play in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League and remain in the conference through 2017. In 2018, Campbell upgraded it's program to offer football scholarships and joined the rest of Campbell's athletic programs in the Big South Conference. In 2023, Campbell announced that they would be moving to the Colonial Athletic Association with the Campbell football program joining the Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference.

Dale Steele was hired as the program's first head coach since bringing back football, and coached Campbell football from 2008 until his dismissal in 2012. Steele's record at Campbell was 14-41.

After the 2012 season, Mike Minter was hired as head coach and would coach the Camels until his resignation in 2023. Minter had a record of 49-66 during his time at Campbell.

In 2024, former Campbell assistant coach Braxton Harris was named head coach and led Campbell to a 3-9 record in his first season since coming back from Houston Christian University.

Classifications

Conference memberships

Current coaching staff

NameTitlePosition coach
Braxton Harris Head coach N/A
Eric Daniels Defensive Coordinator Linebackers
Matt Kubik Offensive coordinator Quarterbacks
Eric AmoakoAssistant CoachCornerbacks
Matt ChiappelliAssistant Coach/Video CoordinatorTight Ends
Larry HartAssistant Coach Defensive line
Ross HornorOffensive Run Game Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator Offensive line
Mike RidingsAssistant CoachSafeties
Tyler ScottAssistant CoachRunning Backs
Aaron WinchesterAssistant coach/Camp CoordinatorWide Receivers
Mason RuzickaDefensive Quality ControlLinebackers
David CraneDirector of football operationsN/A
Isabella BogdanAssistant director of football operationsN/A
Jeff CampbellHead equipment managerN/A

Notable former players

Notable alumni include::

Year-by-year results

Statistics correct as of the end of the 2018-19 college football season
NCAA Division I champions NCAA Division I FCS champions Conference ChampionsDivision ChampionsBowl EligibleUndefeated Season
YearNCAA DivisionConferenceOverallConferenceCoachFinal Ranking
GamesWinLossTiePct.GamesWinLossTiePct.Standing
2008 FCS Pioneer 111100.0918080.0009th Dale Steele –
2009 FCS Pioneer 11380.2738260.2508th Dale Steele –
2010 FCS Pioneer 11380.2738260.250T-7th Dale Steele –
2011 FCS Pioneer 11650.5458530.6254th Dale Steele –
2012 FCS Pioneer 111100.0918080.00010th Dale Steele –
2013 FCS Pioneer 12390.2508170.1258th Mike Minter –
2014 FCS Pioneer 12570.4178440.500T-4th Mike Minter –
2015 FCS Pioneer 11560.4558350.3757th Mike Minter –
2016 FCS Pioneer 10550.5007340.4296th Mike Minter –
2017 FCS Pioneer 11650.5458530.625T-3rd Mike Minter –
2018 FCS Big South 11650.5455140.2005th Mike Minter –
2019 FCS Big South 11650.5456330.5004th Mike Minter –
2020 FCS FCS Independent 4040.000–––––– Mike Minter –
2021 FCS Big South 1138-.375725–.2868th Mike Minter –
2022 FCS Big South 1156-.455523–.4003rd Mike Minter -
2023 FCS CAA 1156-.455844-.5009thMike Minter-
2024 FCS CAA 1239-.250817-.12514thBraxton Harris-
Totals182661160.36310233690.324

[6] [7]

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of February 18, 2025. [8]

2025202620272028
at East Carolina Western Carolina at Wake Forest at NC State
Furman at Florida at Western Carolina
Western Carolina
at NC State

Notes and references

  1. ↑ The first football team fielded played from 1925 to 1950, then was folded. The program was restarted in 2008; 17 years ago.
  1. ↑ "Campbell Athletics Style Guide | Campbell University" (PDF). June 30, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Fighting Camels football to join Big South in 2018" (Press release). Campbell University. November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  3. ↑ Washburn, Rob. "Campbell University Accepts Invitation To Join The CAA In 2023". caasports.com. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ "A Look Into the History of Campbell University Football". Campbell University. April 7, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  5. ↑ Williams, Jason (August 29, 2023). "Hill named to Dolphins 53-man roster". Campbell Fighting Camels.
  6. ↑ "Football Championship Subdivision". www.sportsnetwork.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014.
  7. ↑ "2024 Football Standings". caasports.com. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Campbell Camels Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
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