St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus football team arrived in St. Peter on Thursday afternoon and was on the practice field Friday morning for its first practice of the 2013 season. Head coach Peter Haugen, now in his fifth season, welcomed 112 players to campus, led by a group of 41 returning letterwinners. Of those 41 letterwinners, 24 come back on the defensive side of the ball, while 17 return on offense.
“We had a great day getting guys checked in yesterday and it was a fun day out here today with our first practice,” mentioned coach Haugen. “I’m proud of these guys, particularly our captains, because they did a great job this summer. We’ve been anxious to get going, and we’re just happy to be in camp.”
The Gusties will practice in helmets only through tomorrow (Saturday) before putting on shells on Sunday and Monday. The team will be in full pads for the first time in Tuesday’s practice, which is scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m.
Gustavus opens its 2013 regular season on Saturday, Sept. 14th when it plays host to Simpson College at Hollingsworth Field. That game is set for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.