| In 1889 North Carolina Legislature issued a charter for Elon College. William S. Long was the founder and the first president. The orginal student body consisted of 76 students. Elon students were almost always from North Carolina. But that has changed over time with 70% of its student body now coming from out of state. Achieving University status in 2001, Elon's 16 varsity sports teams, known as the Phoenix, compete in the NCAA's Division I (I-AA in football) Southern Conference. Known at the time as the Fightin'' Christians, Elon College was led by head coach, Jerry Tolley, who led them to consecutive NAIA national championships in 1980 and 1981. In 1980 Elon defeated Northeastern State by a score of 17-10 and in 1981 Elon won its second title by a score of 3-0 over Pittsburg State. Tolley coached Elon football for five years from 1977-1981, leading them to a 49-13 record during his tenure. A portion of the proceeds generated by the sale of this shirt will be donated to the Phoenix Club. |
