Rochester’s 3rd Annual Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic Is Back Oct 3rd

The matchup is set for Rochester’s third annual football game featuring historically Black colleges and universities. The Baldwin Richardson Foods Frederick Douglass HBCU Classic is scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Rochester Community Sports Complex.

The Lincoln University Lions from Pennsylvania will take on the Virginia State Trojans in an NCAA Division II contest with a 1 p.m. kickoff. The game will be part of the four-day Weekend of Hope celebration, including a musical battle between the schools’ marching bands.

Earlier in the week, the festivities will kick off with the Baldwin Richardson Foods HBCU College Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Blue Cross Arena. There, Rochester-area high school juniors and seniors will be able to engage with representatives from dozens of historically Black colleges and universities, share their transcripts, and earn preliminary commitments and scholarship opportunities. Last year’s college fair drew more than 900 students who earned more than $6 million in scholarship commitments from participating schools.

This year, organizers have added a new event, the HBCU Experience, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1 at the Rochester Community Sports Complex. There, students in grades 7 through 10 will be introduced to the exciting cultural and educational opportunities HBCUs offer through music, dancers, entertainment and engagements with local HBCU alumni. 

Leading into game day, all Rochesterians are encouraged to participate in HBCU Day on Friday, Oct. 2, by wearing their favorite HBCU gear, apparel, or colors and sharing photos on social media using the hashtags # ROC HBCUClassic and #BRFHBCUClassic. 

Source: City of Rochester