Although Coastal Carolina University lost to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at Brooks Stadium for their homecoming and alumni game on Oct. 19, 34-24, the community found much more to celebrate.
Wide receiver Lance LeGendre for the Ragin Cajuns had a 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the game thrown by quarterback Ben Wooldridge.
Quarterback Noah Kim debuted in this game with 182 passing yards. Alongside Kim, quarterback Ethan Vasko has ten passing yards.
“[Vasko] has been great for us my job as a veteran I just want to come in here and insert my influence,” Kim said.
Tight end Kendall Karr had an 11-yard touchdown for the Chanticleers in the first quarter thrown by Kim to get them on the board.
Ending the game kicker Kade Hensley missed a 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter with a minute left on the clock.
“We just knew we weren’t doing our jobs, we weren’t being physical, we were being timid,” bandit Clev Lubin said in the post-game press conference.
Coastal celebrated a big game with it being homecoming and alumni weekend despite the loss. At the beginning of the opening ceremony, Tyler Thigpen, CCU football alumni, went on the field to start the “go-chants” cheer with the crowd.
Thigpen, along with a mix of coaches and athletes, was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in January 2024. In 2006, he was the first Chanticleer to win the Consensus All-American award.
During the halftime show, Barbara Blain-Bellamy, the mayor of Conway, and other council members joined the players on the field to present the Spirit of the Chanticleer award. The winner out of the eight nominees was Deronne Davis.
Coastal also gave out an Alumni of the Year award to Megan Micheal who graduated in 2014 and Johnny Gardener who graduated in 1985.
Running back Braydon Bennett made a new record for having 132 rushing yards this season and is the lead rusher for the season.
Head coach Tim Beck made sure to acknowledge the positives of the game despite the loss.
“We watched them throw the ball, we watched them run the ball, we watched them score when we needed to play.”
