UNSTOPPABLE
Lenoir-Rhyne football dismantles nation's No. 14 team in football opener
The Lenoir-Rhyne football team celebrates a 45-3 win over Virginia Union in the 2026 opener in Hickory on Friday.
Members of the Lenoir-Rhyne lacrosse team come out to show their support during the football season opener on Friday in Hickory.
Members of the Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball team get ready to support the football team on Friday in Hickory.
Fans and community members make their way into Moretz Stadium for the 2026 football home opener against Virginia Union on Friday.
Thousands of students, supporters and community members flooded the LenoirRhyne University campus in Hickory on Friday to tailgate and watch the team dismantle Virginia Union 45-3 in the 2026 season opener.
The pregame atmosphere was briefly dampened by afternoon thundershowers, but that didn't keep supporters from continuing to enjoy the school's game-day festivities after the rain stopped. By game time, more than 5,200 fans had packed Moretz Stadium to cheer on the team.
Unlikely converts
Despite the rain, Hayne Rice, Eli Rodriquez and a group of LR supporters from Easley, South Carolina, said LR still has one of the best small college game-day experiences in the nation.
"Game days at LR are absolutely electric," Rice said. "It's a fan-friendly environment."
The group has made the trip at least 20 times over the last six seasons to support LR linebacker Christian Santana. Rice and Rodriguez said they started out as Santana fans, but the team, school and atmosphere won them over.
"We're Bears fans through and through," Rice said. "We come to more Bears games than any other college team. We live 20 minutes outside of Clemson. We come to Bears games, not Clemson games."
They're not sure they will continue coming after Santana graduates.
"But it was a lot of fun for the six years we did it," Rodriquez said. "It will always have a small piece of our hearts."
"These shirts aren't going anywhere," Rice added.
Supporting the team
Luke Priester, Mac Murphy and Jack Burge play lacrosse for Lenoir-Rhyne. Priester said LR has one of the best game-day atmospheres in the country because it is not just about students and partying. "One thing I love about game day at LR is the community," he said.
"Sometimes you can feel disconnected from the other teams, but when it comes to game day, everyone is combining with one another," Murphy said. "When you get that environment, it's so fun."
Priester said he enjoys the community and family nature of the day.
"You get to meet people," he said. "You have families, college students, older people who live in the city who want to come watch the football game. We all have one space and we're having fun and you can feel welcome."
Priester said he thinks the team is going to have a better year than last year's 6-5 finish and predicted a 28-10 win in the opener.
Murphy and Burge were even more optimistic. Murphy predicted a final score of 35-10.
"I'm going to say LR by 100," Burge said. "Our boys are hungry and, brother, there's a buffet out there."
Handling business
The Bears didn't quite cover the spread to make good on Burge's prediction, but they did feast on a DII No. 14-ranked Virginia Union Friday evening.
LR scored less than four minutes into the game and piled up a 31-0 lead by halftime. The Bears put up 505 yards of total offense while holding Virginia Union to 182.
Quarterback Wells Bettenhausen was a model of efficiency, completing 18-of-26 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown. Mikel McClellan caught seven of those balls for 112 yards, and Jarrod Mewborn caught five for 67, including the touchdown.
The running game was also relentless. L.J. Turner carried the ball 16 times for 61 yards and two scores, Shermon Davis had 109 yards on eight attempts, including a 70-yard run from scrimmage and Eddie Clark had a touchdown and 50 yards on eight carries.
Defensively, the Bears piled up 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. Eleven different LR players made a stop behind the line of scrimmage.
Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net.
