HICKORY, N.C. (August 28, 2026) — The Virginia Union University football team opened the 2026 season Friday evening with a 45-3 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne University at Moretz Stadium.
Lenoir-Rhyne took control early, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and adding 17 more in the second to take a 31-0 lead into halftime. The Bears added a touchdown in each of the final two quarters to complete the scoring.
Virginia Union's lone points came in the fourth quarter when freshman kicker
Gage Miller connected on a 41-yard field goal with 4:52 remaining in the game.
Lenoir-Rhyne opened the scoring on an 11:43 first-quarter touchdown run by
Eddie Clark, who broke through for a 13-yard touchdown. Daniel Deneen Jr. added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
The Bears extended the advantage to 14-0 before halftime and continued to build on their lead in the second quarter. Lenoir-Rhyne's
LJ Turner scored twice on short touchdown runs, including a two-yard score with 3:09 remaining in the second quarter.
Turner finished with 61 rushing yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns, while Clark rushed eight times for 50 yards and a score.
Shermon Davis led the Bears with 109 rushing yards on just eight carries, including a 70-yard run.
Quarterback
Wells Bettenhausen completed 18 of 26 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver
Jarrod Mewborn caught five passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, including a 33-yard scoring reception late in the second quarter.
Lenoir-Rhyne finished the night with 505 yards of total offense, including 242 rushing yards and 263 passing yards. The Bears converted eight of 14 third-down opportunities and held the ball for 36:55.
Virginia Union was held to 183 total yards, with the Panthers gaining 26 yards on the ground and 157 through the air. VUU recorded 10 first downs and converted none of its nine third-down attempts.
"I'm very disappointed with the outcome of today's game," said VUU Head Football Coach
Dr. Alvin Parker. "As the head coach, it's my responsibility to have our team prepared, and today we didn't look like the well-buttoned-up football team that I expect us to be. We have a lot to clean up, and that starts with me. Credit to Lenoir-Rhyne, they have an outstanding football team and played extremely well in all three phases. We'll own this, learn from it, and get back to work."
Graduate student quarterback
RJ Rosales completed four of nine passes for 67 yards, while redshirt junior
quarterback
Myles Derricott completed five of 10 attempts for 90 yards. Rosales also rushed for minus-27 yards after three sacks.
Brian Crowder led the Panthers' receiving corps with one catch for 38 yards.
Zyaire Tart added one reception for 32 yards, while
Donavan Pauling-Outlaw had two catches for 20 yards.
Defensively, redshirt senior linebacker
Ahmad Ross led all Panthers with 12 tackles.
Jymere Melendez recorded seven tackles, while
Tylil Frazier added six.
Punter
Joshua Mitchell averaged 46.1 yards on seven punts, including a long of 59 yards, with two punts landing inside the Lenoir-Rhyne 20-yard line.
The Panthers will look to bounce back next week when they return home to face
Livingstone College on Saturday, September 5.
Lenoir-Rhyne 45, Virginia Union 3
Virginia Union: 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 —
3
Lenoir-Rhyne: 14 | 17 | 7 | 7 —
45
VUU Leaders
- Passing: RJ Rosales, 4-9, 67 yards; Myles Derricott, 5-10, 90 yards
- Rushing: Ramon Brown, 5 carries, 25 yards
- Receiving: Dahmon Crowder, 1 reception, 38 yards
- Tackles: Ahmad Ross, 12; Jymere Melendez, 7; Tylil Frazier, 6
- Punting: Joshua Mitchell, 7 punts, 46.1-yard average
- Kicking: Gage Miller, 1-for-1 FG, 41 yards
