Spring Championship 'Victory' Followed by Strong Performance in This Tournament, Nationwide 'Tigerball' Participation Confirmed
Dong-A University (President Lee Hae-woo) announced on the 23rd that its American football club, the Leopards, secured the runner-up position in the 2024 Busan·Ulsan·Gyeongnam American Football Autumn Championship, confirming their advancement to the national tournament, "Tiger Bowl."
The Busan·Ulsan·Gyeongnam American Football Autumn Championship is the only American football competition in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region, with a total of eight universities participating, including Dong-A University, Pusan National University, Kyungsung University, and Ulsan University.
In this league-format tournament, the Leopards achieved a record of 2 wins and 1 loss across three games, securing the runner-up position through excellent teamwork and solid defense.
Previously, the Dong-A Leopards performed strongly in this year's competitions, including finishing first with an undefeated record in the 2024 Spring Championship.
With this runner-up finish, the Leopards will represent the Busan region at the "Tiger Bowl" held in November. The Tiger Bowl is the most prestigious national college American football tournament in South Korea, where teams representing each region compete fiercely.
Leopards captain Park Se-hoon (3rd year, Department of Environmental Engineering) said, "The players have grown significantly through this tournament. Thanks especially to the support of our advisor, Professor Jeon Hyung-pil (Department of Physical Education), we were able to finish without major injuries." He added, "Building on this experience, we will show better performance at the national tournament." He also expressed determination, saying, "We will fight with all our might for Dong-A University's honor at the Tiger Bowl against the nation's top teams. The Leopards are not satisfied yet."
Coach Sung Jae-hyun (Dong-A University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Class of 2002) said, "The first game loss was a great lesson for the players, and through the following matches, I felt the team became much stronger." He added, "We will approach the national tournament, the Tiger Bowl, even more prepared and aim for excellent results."
The Dong-A Leopards were founded on June 10, 1976, as the first university south of the Han River to establish an American football team in South Korea, where the sport was unfamiliar at the time. They have won several national tournaments, including the "Tiger Bowl," the national college American football championship, and the "Kimchi Bowl," which determines the strongest American football team nationwide.
The Dong-A University American Football Club Leopards won the runner-up title at the 2024 Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam American Football Autumn Championship and are taking a commemorative photo.
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