The Livingstone Blue Bears football program is an intercollegiate American football team for Livingstone College located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The team competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). The school's first team was fielded in 1892 as the first historically black college to play football. The team plays its home games at Alumni Memorial Stadium.

History 1892: founding The Livingstone Blue Bears football team was founded in the fall of 1892. The members of the team all chipped in and purchased the first uniforms. They played their first game against Biddle on their front lawn, marking the first time two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) faced off for a football game. They played two 45-minute halves with Biddle winning 5–0. They have since made a rivalry named the "Commemorative Classic" which is played every year.

1883–1930: early years In 1903, the Blue Bears were featured in The Charlotte Observer, which stated: "Livingstone has defeated all comers this year, and claims the championship of the colored colleges of the state". They finished that season with a known record of 3–0, defeating Bennett College twice and Y.M.I. once.

In 1906, the Livingstone self-proclaimed themselves "The Colored College Champions" under head coach Benjamin Butler Church.

In 1913, Livingstone finished the season with a 5–0 record, their second and final undefeated season in school history.

In 1926, the Blue Bears finished the season with a 2–5 record. This would be their last season under Church before James Meeks took over in 1927. Church finished with a 42–20–9 during his 16 seasons with Livingstone.

1931–1973: reclassification The Blue Bears were Southern Independents from 1892 to 1930, joining the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) in 1931, finishing that season 0–5–3 (0–3–2).

In 1973, Livingstone College reclassified from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II along with the CIAA. They would finish the season 7–2–1.

1974–present In 1992, the 1892 football team was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 1994, the Blue Bears hired Rudy Abrams, a Livingstone alumni, as their head coach. In 1997, he led them to an 8–2 (6–2) regular season record and a CIAA co-championship before losing in the inaugural Pioneer Bowl to Kentucky State, 30–26. In 1998, he led them to another CIAA co-championship with a 7–3 (6–2) regular season record before again losing in the Pioneer Bowl, this time to Tuckegee, 23–9. After the 1998 season, Abrams was hired to be the head football coach of the North Carolina Central Eagles, where he coached for four seasons before retiring in 2002. He finished his tenure at Livingstone with a 33–18–1 record. In 2005, Abrams was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 2006, Tony Veal was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 2019, Charles Cooley and Michael Posey were inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 2020, Livingstone hired 1992 third overall pick, Sean Gilbert, as their new head football coach. His first season would be cancelled after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. In his second season (first full) as head coach, Gilbert finished with a 1–8 (1–5) record.

Affiliations Classifications 1892–1962: NCAA College Division – Small College 1963–1972: NAIA Division I 1973–present: NCAA Division II

Conference memberships 1892–1930: independent 1931: Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1946–1961: Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1962–present: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Championships Conference 1960† Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Charles R. Cox 7–2–2 5–0–1 1997† Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Rudy Abrams 8–3 5–2 1998† 7–4 5–2 † Co-champion

Playoff appearances

Bowl games

Season-by-season records = National champions = Conference champions = Conference co-champions = Conference division champions and championship game berth = Undefeated season

1892 Unknown 0–1 N/A N/A 1893 No team 1894 No team 1895 No team 1896 No team 1897 No team 1898 No team 1899 No team 1900 No team 1901 Unknown 3–0 N/A N/A 1902 No team 1903 Unknown 3–0 N/A N/A 1904 No team 1905 Unknown 1–0 N/A N/A 1906 Benjamin Butler Church 4–0–1 N/A N/A 1907 Benjamin Butler Church 0–1 N/A N/A 1908 Benjamin Butler Church 1–0 N/A N/A 1909 Benjamin Butler Church 0–1 N/A N/A 1910 No team 1911 No team 1912 Benjamin Butler Church 3–1–1 N/A N/A 1913 Benjamin Butler Church 5–0 N/A N/A 1914 Benjamin Butler Church 5–1 N/A N/A 1915 Benjamin Butler Church 3–0–2 N/A N/A 1916 Benjamin Butler Church 2–2 N/A N/A 1917 No team 1918 No team 1919 No team 1920 Benjamin Butler Church 1–0 N/A N/A 1921 Benjamin Butler Church 1–0–1 N/A N/A 1922 Benjamin Butler Church 5–1–1 N/A N/A 1923 Benjamin Butler Church 3–2–2 N/A N/A 1924 Benjamin Butler Church 3–3–1 N/A N/A 1925 Benjamin Butler Church 4–3–1 N/A N/A 1926 Benjamin Butler Church 2–5 N/A N/A 1927 James Meeks 3–3–1 N/A N/A 1928 James Meeks 3–3–1 N/A N/A 1929 James Meeks 3–3–3 N/A N/A 1930 Arthur J. Willis 0–7–2 N/A N/A Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1931) 1931 Bertrand C. Jacobs 0–5–3 0–3–2 11th 1932 William Reid 0–4 --- --- 1933 Unknown 0–1 --- --- 1934 Harry Parker 1–5 --- --- 1935 Robert Gill 0–4 --- --- 1936 Samuel E. Barnes 2–6–1 --- --- 1937 Samuel E. Barnes 2–5 --- --- 1938 Samuel E. Barnes 3–4–1 --- --- 1939 Samuel E. Barnes 3–5–1 --- --- 1940 Samuel E. Barnes 4–2–2 --- --- 1941 Benjamin Hargroves 2–6 --- --- 1942 No team 1943 Unknown 0–3 --- --- 1944 Unknown 0–2 --- --- 1945 No team Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1946–1961) 1946 William Goodrum 0–5 --- --- 1947 William Goodrum 2–5 --- --- 1948 Maurice Sneed 2–7 2–3 5th 1949 Edward L. Mitchell 2–4 1–4 T–6th 1950 Edward L. Mitchell 0–6–1 0–4 T–7th 1951 Luther Green 0–4–2 --- --- 1952 Edward L. Mitchell 3–4 2–3 4th 1953 Edward L. Mitchell 3–4 1–3 4th 1954 Edward L. Mitchell 5–2 2–1 2nd 1955 Edward L. Mitchell 2–6 1–4 T–4th 1956 Edward L. Mitchell 4–4 2–4 5th 1957 Edward L. Mitchell 6–2–1 4–1 2nd 1958 Edward L. Mitchell 6–2 3–1 2nd 1959 Ted Browne 5–3–1 3–1–1 3rd 1960 Charles R. Cox 7–2–2 5–0–1 T–1st 1961 Charles R. Cox 5–4 1–0 NA Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1962–present) 1962 Charles R. Cox 2–8 --- --- 1963 Charles R. Cox 0–8–1 --- --- 1964 Elijah Johnson 2–8 --- --- 1965 John D. Marshall 3–5 3–5 13th 1966 John D. Marshall 6–3–1 5–1–1 3rd 1967 John D. Marshall 3–6 2–4 13th 1968 John D. Marshall 4–4 4–3 8th 1969 John D. Marshall 5–3 4–3 8th 1970 John D. Marshall 2–7 1–4 6th (Southern) 1971 John D. Marshall 4–6 3–3 T–3rd (Southern) 1972 John D. Marshall 2–8 0–4 5th (Southern) 1973 Baxter Holman 7–2–1 --- --- 1974 Baxter Holman 9–2 --- --- 1975 Baxter Holman 7–3–1 --- --- 1976 Baxter Holman 6–5 --- --- 1977 Baxter Holman 4–7 --- --- 1978 Andrew Littlejohn 5–4–1 --- --- 1979 Andrew Littlejohn 3–8 --- --- 1980 Andrew Littlejohn 0–10 --- --- 1981 Mel Rose 3–7 --- --- 1982 Mel Rose 5–5 --- --- 1983 Mel Rose 5–4 --- --- 1984 Mel Rose 3–7 2–5 5th (Southern) 1985 David Corley 7–3 5–2 2nd (Southern) 1986 David Corley 3–5–2 2–4–1 4th (Southern) 1987 William M. Spencer 2–8 2–5 6th (Southern) 1988 Fletcher Jones 3–6 1–5 5th (Southern) 1989 Fletcher Jones 1–8 1–5 4th (Southern) 1990 Delano Tucker 3–6 2–4 3rd (Southern) 1991 Delano Tucker 5–5 3–3 5th 1992 Delano Tucker 3–7 2–4 8th 1993 Delano Tucker 1–10 1–7 11th 1994 Rudy Abrams 5–5 5–3 T–3rd 1995 Rudy Abrams 5–4–1 4–3–1 4th 1996 Rudy Abrams 8–2 7–1 2nd 1997 Rudy Abrams 8–3 5–2 T–1st 1998 Rudy Abrams 7–4 5–2 T–1st 1999 Gregory Richardson 4–7 2–5 6th 2000 Gregory Richardson 2–8 1–5 5th (Western) 2001 Gregory Richardson 1–8 0–6 5th (Western) 2002 George Johnson 3–7 2–5 4th (Western) 2003 George Johnson 3–7 3–4 3rd (Western) 2004 George Johnson 2–8 2–5 4th (Western) 2005 Lamonte J. Massie 1–9 1–6 4th (Western) 2006 Lamonte J. Massie 1–9 1–6 5th (Western) 2007 Lamonte J. Massie 0–10 0–7 5th (Western) 2008 Lamonte J. Massie 2–8 2–5 5th (Western) 2009 Lamonte J. MassieEric Brown (Interim) 0–10 0–7 6th (Western) 2010 Elvin James 0–11 0–7 6th (Southern) 2011 Elvin James 1–9 0–7 6th (Southern) 2012 Elvin James 2–8 2–5 5th (Southern) 2013 Daryl Williams 3–7 1–6 6th (Southern) 2014 Daryl Williams 5–5 2–5 4th (Southern) 2015 Daryl Williams 5–3 4–3 2nd (Southern) 2016 Daryl Williams 2–8 1–6 6th (Southern) 2017 Daryl Williams 0–10 0–7 6th (Southern) 2018 Daryl Williams 3–6 1–5 6th (Southern) 2019 Daryl Williams 4–6 1–6 6th (Southern) 2020 No team 2021 Sean Gilbert 1–8 1–5 5th (Southern) 2022 Sean Gilbert 4–6 3–5 4th (Southern) 2023 Sean Gilbert 4–6 4–4 3rd (Southern) 2024 Sean Gilbert 6–4 4–3 5th

All-time record vs. current CIAA teams

Rivalries Johnson C. Smith

Elizabeth City State

Head coaches 1 1892 William J. Trent 2 1901 Unknown 3 1903 Unknown 4 1906–19091912–19161920–1926 Benjamin Butler Church 5 1927–1929 James Meeks 6 1930 Arthur J. Willis 7 1931 Bertrand C. Jacobs 8 1932 William Reid 9 1933 Unknown 10 1934 Harry Parker 11 1935 Robert Gill 12 1936–1940 Samuel E. Barnes 13 1941 Benjamin Hargrave 1943–1944 Unknown 1946–1947 William Goodrum 1948 Maurice Sneed 1949 –1958 Edward L. Mitchell 1959 Ted Browne 1960–1963 Charles R. Cox 1964 Elijah Johnson 1965–1972 John D. Marshall 1973–1977 Baxter D. Holman Jr. 1978–1980 Andrew Littlejohn 1981–1984 Mel Rose 1985–1986 David Corley 1987–1989 Bill Spencer 1990–1993 Delano Tucker 1994–1998 Rudy Abrams 1999–2001 Gregory Richardson 2002–2004 George Johnson Jr. 2005 Ben Coates # 2005–2006 Robert Massey 2007–2009 Lamonte J. Massie # 2009 Eric Brown 2010–2012 Elvin J. James 2013–2019 Daryl Williams 2020–present Sean Gilbert

# Interim head coach

Individual accomplishments All-Americans 2022 Kevin Larkins Jr. BTR

BTR = BOXTOROW

Award winners

CIAA Offensive Player of the Year Joseph White – 1982 Joseph White – 1983 Joseph White – 1984 Rob Clodfelter – 1992 Wilmont Perry – 1996 Wilmont Perry – 1997 Jalen Hendricks – 2014 Drew Powell – 2015 CIAA Rookie of the Year Chris Williams – 1997 Jason Ocean – 2000 CIAA Defensive Player of the Year Ronnie Washburn – 1998 Jason Ocean – 2003 CIAA Defensive Rookie of the Year Robert Massey-Brice – 2008 Kevin Larkins Jr. – 2022 CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year Drew Powell – 2012

Black College Football Hall of Fame members Ben Coates TE 1987–1990 2022

CIAA Hall of Fame members George Johnson HC - 1985 Alfred Tyler QB - 1989 Ben Coates TE 1987–1990 2018 Johnny Stoutamire Jr. DB 1974–1978 2021

Livingstone Athletics Hall of Fame members 1892 Livingstone football team 1992 Rudy Abrams HC 1960–1963, 1994–1998 2005 Tony Veal - - 2006 Charles Cooley G, C, K 1995–1998 2019 Michael Posey DB 1997–2001 2019

Notable former players Rudy Abrams 1960–1963 Sherman Simmons LB 1972–1973 Ben Coates TE 1987–1990 John Terry OL 1990–1991 Wilmont Perry RB 1994–1998 Drew Powell QB 2012–2015

Rudy Abrams, head coach, 1960–1963, 1994–1998