DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University will host the New England Football League Triple-A championship game on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, pitting the Western Connecticut Militia of the greater Danbury area against the Boston Bandits.

WCSU student Nick Kimball and WCSU graduates Lionel Assie and Tyler Kurjiaka will be among the players for the semi-professional Militia team who will take the field against the Bandits at 7:30 p.m. for the NEFL Colonial Conference championship at the Westside Athletic Complex on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. Admission will be $10 for adults and $7 for youths ages 12 through 17, with children under 12 admitted free. Student ticket price will be $8.

The Militia, based in New Milford, finished the 2015 regular season with an impressive 11-1 record and posted successive South Division playoff victories of 20-12 over the Pioneer Valley Knights on Oct. 10 and 28-0 over the Connecticut Panthers on Oct. 17 at the Danbury High School stadium. The Militia’s semi-final victory avenged the team’s sole defeat in late August at the hands of the Panthers, who also eliminated the Militia from the playoffs in each of the past three seasons. The Militia now will compete for the NEFL Leo Lombardi Trophy against a Bandits team that has improved to an 8-4 record after ousting two higher-seeded teams in the North Division of the tournament.

Kimball, a WCSU sophomore and former football standout as wide receiver and defensive back for New Milford High School, took the helm of the Militia offense during the playoffs after starting quarterback Kevin Oberg suffered a season-ending knee injury during the first-round victory over Pioneer Valley. Kimball responded to the challenge with a career performance in the second round against the favored Connecticut Panthers, completing 11 of 15 passes for 285 yards and connecting for three touchdown passes of 25, 38 and 75 yards as well as rushing for a fourth touchdown. Kimball will get the start at quarterback when the Militia face the Bandits for the NEFL championship.

Assie, a 2010 WCSU graduate from Bridgeport, will be returning to the WAC turf where he previously led the university’s 2009 Colonials squad as leader in rushing yards and touchdowns scored. Signed by the Militia in 2012, Assie this year led the team in rushing with 447 yards on 102 carries, scoring nine touchdowns, while also taking five pass receptions for 43 yards.

Kurjiaka, a 2007 WCSU graduate and Bethel resident, is a veteran member of the Militia’s special-teams unit. He has been the team’s primary kicker for field goals, extra points and kickoffs, as well as taking care of punting duties.

For more information, call the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486 or access the Western Connecticut Militia website.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.