Rocky Mount, N.C. - North Carolina Wesleyan's football program has officially released its 2016 schedule, which features five games at Bishop Stadium and is highlighted by its home opener versus defending NCAA Division III National Champion Mount Union.

Wesleyan's 2016 home opener is slated for Saturday, September 10th, and will feature one of the more notable games in Wesleyan football history when the Bishops host 12-time National Champion Mount Union. The game is part of a home/away deal signed by the two teams, which will send the Bishops to Alliance, Ohio in 2017. The 2016 match-up will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools and will mark the first time that the Purple Raiders have played a football game in the state of North Carolina.

"When you talk NCAA Division III football, Mount Union is the first school everyone thinks about," stated Wesleyan head coach Jeff Filkovski.  "They have been consistently the best program in the country for a long time, and I have nothing but respect for what Larry Kehres has built and now Vince Kehres carries forward.  This is a tremendous opportunity for us and we look forward to it."

The September 10th kick-off between NCWC and Mount Union is set for 12:30pm at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex. More details regarding promotions and coverage will be released at a later date.

Prior to their home opener, the Bishops will kick off the season with Stevenson University for a fourth straight year. This year's opener is slated for Friday evening, September 2nd, at 7:00pm at SU's Mustang Stadium in Owings Mill, Maryland. A post-UMU road match-up with Shenandoah University will wrap up NCWC's non-conference slate.

The Bishops open up its 7-game conference schedule on October 1st with a home game versus Huntingdon College. The Hawks are the USA South's defending champions, posting a 5-point win over Wesleyan last season and leaving NCWC with a runner-up finish in the league standings. Other notable home games include a Homecoming tilt with rival Methodist University on October 15th, as well as a Senior Day match-up with LaGrange College on November 5th.  All home conference games will feature 1:00pm kick-offs.

To view the entire 2016 N.C. Wesleyan football schedule, please click here.