WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Athletes and coaching staff from the Ferris State Bulldogs football team are visiting the White House on Monday.
The Bulldogs are joining several other teams and athletes from the NCAA for College Athlete Day at the White House.
Ferris State are back-to-back NCAA Division II Football National Champions with a record of 28-1 over the last two seasons.
The event begins at 11:30 a.m. on the South Lawn of the White House.
About 25 student-athletes, head coach Tony Annese, associate athletic director Rob Bentley and other staff will be a part of the ceremony.
"I think it's an outstanding recognition for our university, to be able to put Ferris State on the map, you know, in the nation's capital on a little bit of a bigger stage is really important, I think, for our university," said Bentley. "And obviously, for what it means here for our institution, for our guys, it's a special way to be able to celebrate a second straight national championship."
The team was expected to meet with President Joe Biden, but the White House announced around 11 a.m. that Biden underwent an unexpected root canal Monday morning and would be unable to attend the ceremony. Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with the team in his place.
On Twitter, the university wrote it is "believed" that they are the first NCAA Division II National Champion to receive an invite from the White House. But the University of North Alabama claims the honor, meeting with President Clinton in 1995 following three straight Division II national championships.
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