Above photo courtesy of the 2024 WCU Football team of Westgate Christian University on X (@WestgateCU)
BELTON—When the four American Southwest Conference football programs began releasing their 2024 schedules during the summer months, there was plenty of variation seen in the non-conference opponents. But one opponent showed up with consistency across three of them: Westgate Christian University. And as it turned out, Hardin-Simmons was scheduled to play the Ravens during the presason portion of their fall slate.
Naturally, plenty of questions arose from fans across the American Southwest Conference, considering WCU had never shown up on any of their schedules before. The program had never been mentioned within Texas’ small college football fan base. And there was little info available online about the program itself. Adding to it all was the fact that WCU was deemed a “non-countable opponent by the NCAA”, meaning games played by NCAA programs against WCU would not count towards the NCAA program’s record. There was a logical reason for all of it: WCU is brand-new.
That statement is true for both the football program and the institution itself. Located in Houston with approximately 85 students currently enrolled, WCU was founded in 2022, and began its first classes just this past spring. Two weeks ago, another development was made, with a preseason matchup at Hardin-Simmons being the Ravens’ first time in an athletic arena.
“It comes from educators being on the same page, having the same mindset, and knowing that there’s a need for certain things, not only in the realm of academics but also athletics,” Lalita Jenkins, a member of WCU’s Board of Directors told True To The Cru. “And that there is not just a need but also a want. Those things are what played into forming a new faith-based university organization.”
It also stemmed from a desire to re-evaluate the way in which higher education can be done. In WCU’s 2024 handbook, three major problems with higher education were noted, things that the board of directors sought to correct in establishing their own institution. One being a lack of insight into what families are “getting in return for their educational investment”, noting that “many universities are focused more on recruiting to increase enrollment” rather than quality education. The second involved athletics, with a “lack of opportunities” present for aspiring college athletes coming out of high school due to the transfer portal and the Covid year of eligibility granted from the 2020-21 academic year. And the third centered on a “lack of Christian influence” within higher education, broadly speaking.
WCU is accredited by the National Bible College Association—which includes UMHB’s Week 4 opponent, John Melvin University, and several seminaries within Texas—but it is not an accredited institution by the National Department of Education.
WCU’s degree offerings are centered on Biblical Theology, ranging from “an Associates degree to a Doctorate of Theology”, according to the institution’s website. Biblical Counseling is the other program at WCU, with students earning certificates in that area.
“As far as straight academics in a faith-based arena, we were definitely offering something different because not everybody wants to be a minister or a missionary,” Jenkins said when discussing WCU’s academic degree plans. “They may just want to gain some knowledge and get a certificate or a degree around the biblical studies and have it as something to enhance their faith life, not necessarily [from] an academic standpoint to move further to be the pastor of a church.
“That was also different in our recruiting efforts for the general population as well as some athletes; there are some great former athletes out there that are currently ministers in the City of Houston. Again, everybody’s path is different, and we’re out to try to meet the need of the community.”
From the very beginning, athletics were also part of the immediate vision for WCU, Jenkins said. Launching the football program in the institution’s second semester of classes was a planned approach, with WCU’s first year of track & field set to follow in the spring of 2025. Football and track & field are the two sports that WCU is currently sponsoring.
“We’re all former Division I athletes in some form or fashion,” Jenkins noted. “Athletics brings together everyone.”
The recruiting process for WCU’s inaugural football team was challenging, as it is for most first-year programs. Without permanent facilities in place, and an institution that had not yet begun classes when the coaching staff ventured onto the recruiting trail in the early winter, assembling a large enough roster for the 2024 season proved difficult.
“It has been really tough,” associate head coach and defensive coordinator Ed Ramirez said Thursday. “When you’re recruiting, most schools are recruiting anywhere between 25-30 max. But we had to recruit a whole football team. Our goal was to try to get up to about 65 or 75 kids within the matter of a few months.
“We had to sell a program that we’re still in the midst of putting our facilities together, and we had to really recruit off of a lot of phone, a lot of text, a lot of one-on-one conversations over the phone. Fortunately for us, we were able to accomplish that. We started the process back in November so we were able to get a few transfers in, get them started in school, and those guys were important in helping us recruit some of those young men that were looking for a home that were in the portal. And then here in Houston, they had a senior showcase, so we were able to get a lot of young men there as well.
“For us, it was a tough process, but we were able to accomplish our goals and get the young men we needed. Now, the recruiting is ‘Okay, let’s recruit those 25-30 young men that we need, instead of a full team.’”
In all of that, the upside for WCU’s recruits was the opportunity to actually see the field. Rather than potentially being buried on the depth chart at an already well-established program as a freshman, choosing WCU provided an opportunity for early and increased playing time.
“When we presented it to our young men, we told them, ‘Hey, if you’re a freshman, you’re coming in to play. We’re not looking to redshirt you. We’re looking to play you. If you compete, and you’re able to beat out the other guys at your same position, you can play as a freshman,’” Ramirez said. “That was something that motivated the young men to want to come play for us. And then for those who were at other schools, the opportunity to go out there and play right off the bat and not have to wait their turn was also a motivating factor for them to come with us.”
Jenkins added that many of the student-athletes WCU successfully recruited were from the local area. They saw the upstart institution and football program as an opportunity to continue playing the sport while staying close to home at the same time. Houston currently has just one other small-college football program in North American University, who currently plays at the NAIA level.
“You have kids who were wanting to stay home or had to come back home for whatever the reason,” Jenkins said when talking about the combination of athletic and academic offerings at WCU. “We were coming across kids who didn’t want to leave home, wanted to stay close, or it was just a situation where they wanted a smaller school setting.”
Ramirez also pointed out the uniqueness of the schedule for WCU’s first season. Unlike most first-year programs, who opt for a slate against junior varsity opponents out of the gate before upgrading to a varsity-only schedule in Year 2, the Ravens will face a number of varsity opponents this fall. That includes Saturday’s matchup at UMHB, along with games at Howard Payne (Oct. 5), ETBU (Oct. 19), and D2 Quincy University (Oct. 26).
“When the board hired me, Coach [Marc] Mooney told me, ‘Look, we’re not coming in on a JV schedule,’” Ramirez said, noting that the WCU was well aware of the tough competition found in their ASC opponents. “To play those members of [the American Southwest Conference], that was very appealing to our players.”
Unlike most other four-year institutions, WCU doesn’t have on-campus housing at this point in time. As a result, the players, many of whom are native to Houston, come from different areas of the city each day to practice, which naturally makes for logistical challenges at times. But even with that dynamic involved, Ramirez said the coaching staff has worked to make the daily schedule very similar to that of the other small-college programs they’ll be competing against.
“We have to coordinate when everybody can get in and get to our facility,” Ramirez added. “We have weights. We have meeting times. We have special teams meetings. We have practice. We want to make sure that they’re getting the quality coaching that they would get [anywhere else]. That experience of being coached like they’re in college. It’s not just show up and let’s play. We’re not a prep school. We’re a four-year university. We’re trying to set the culture and set a standard. These guys are the forefathers of this program. We’re trying to make sure they understand that. They’re laying the foundation for the future.”
Jenkins told True To The Cru that WCU’s football team is currently practicing at a rented space. However, she alluded to the fact that plans are being worked on for a more permanent future home for WCU and its athletic programs.
“You have to take into consideration that, 1) You’re new, 2) You’re new to the community, 3) You have to make sure that your students are able to get back and forth, and 4) You have to make sure that your coaching staff is able to get there in time. All of those things, we have felt them.
“It’s kind of tough, but the future holds great things. We have some exciting things that are coming up that we really can’t talk about right now because we’re still trying to work out the kinks. All I can say is that God is working behind the scenes, He knows the desire of our hearts, and we will be happy with whatever He blesses us with. If we get this blessing that we’re currently working on, just know that this time next year, we might be cutting a ribbon somewhere.”
From an academic standpoint, WCU has a unique course structure. Per the WCU website, each course “provides 10 hours of lecture, study guide, and exam,” which stands out as a significant difference from the typical college course set up. It’s a new approach to higher education for all involved, allowing for a more flexible schedule for the institution’s students, who either take classes fully online or in a hybrid format that involves in-person class attendance. But within that flexibility, Jenkins told True To The Cru, academic standards and progression are important, especially when it involves WCU’s student-athletes.
“There’s still deadlines because you’re talking about the combination of athletics and academics,” she said. “And within that world, you still have to have midterms, finals, and things of that nature. It’s still new to us, as well as everybody else, but I think with all of the history that the instructors, the administrator, and board of trustees have, we’ve come up with a unique program and hopefully as we grow and become more stable, people will see that Westgate will be the place to go. Because our goal is to set those standards high, to draw in that premier athlete, and produce academically-sound individuals.”
Upon its founding, WCU formed a bridge partnership with Indiana Wesleyan University. While bridge partnerships between institutions can vary in what is included, one aspect is that it allows for Westgate’s students to take classes through IWU that might not be offered directly through WCU.
“Just like any other university, again that span is large, everybody has a partnership with someone,” Jenkins said. “In regards to any program or lack of program that one of those institutions is looking to pursue. Again, when you’re talking about the world of academia, everybody crosses each other’s path in some way or another. I’ve worked at two institutions where partnerships were very valid and it helped to strengthen the academics of all the universities involved. When this whole vision came about, that was one of the things we knew we needed to incorporate. Especially being new, it was going to contribute to our growth.”
For Ramirez and his fellow coaches, the growth of the football program has had its difficulties. With the focus on recruiting and bringing the 2024 roster together, WCU did not have spring practice. A hurricane and a tornado came through the Houston area in July, virtually eliminating the Ravens’ practice opportunities through the month.
That created challenges in getting a completely new team the adequate time to develop chemistry and learn the playbook, the effects of which were seen in WCU’s first two matchups; a 93-7 loss to Hardin-Simmons and a 54-3 loss to Texas College.
“These first two or three ballgames, we’re still working out all the kinks,” Ramirez said. “But to have them go out there, compete, and give their best regardless of what the outcome or the score was, we were very proud of them. We’re in the learning process. They understood that and they see the big picture. It was a learning process for us as coaches to work with these young men and then for these young men working together under the lights for the first time. A lot of true freshmen played, and it was an eye-opener for them. Overall, we were pleased. The effort was there. They realized that we have work to do. But they’re not afraid of it. They’re eager.”
“I am proud of the coaching staff in regards to being totally transparent with these young men,” Jenkins added. “Helping them understand where they are in this juncture. How to act if certain things are to come about that’s part of the standards and expectations. That just helps to create a relationship where they trust the coaches and what they say. They knew from the beginning that this was going to be an uphill battle, so they were definitely prepared for the season.”
A report by the Tyler Morning Telegraph following Texas College’s win last Saturday noted that the game “was called for lack of sportsmanship with 5:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.” Ramirez elaborated on that situation in True To The Cru’s recent interview.
“Both sides decided, ‘Hey, we’re good. Let’s go ahead and stop here.’ There was some chippiness in the game and we didn’t want anything to escalate. So we said ‘We’re good right here.’”
Ramirez’s defense appears to be a strength for WCU heading into Saturday’s matchup in Belton. Against Texas College, Maurice Hubbard intercepted a TC pass in the red zone, and Darius Peters contributed with another interception. Xavier Martin tallied with a pair of sacks from his spot at linebacker. And one of the standouts on WCU’s defensive line was former three-star recruit Je’lin Samuels, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound defensive end who played three years at SMU and appeared in 13 games for the Mustangs last fall.
The offense, despite its struggles, is coming along as well, with several true freshmen seeing the majority of the snaps at various skill positions. According to Westgate’s two-deep depth chart, provided in UMHB’s Week 2 game notes, Dominick Martin is set to start at quarterback for the Ravens. A First-Team All-District QB out of Yates High School in Houston, Martin spent the 2022 season on the roster at Howard Payne.
Following its matchup against UMHB, WCU will face John Melvin University on Sept. 21, with The Cru set to host JMU the following Saturday. The Ravens, who will play all eight of their games on the road this fall, are traveling 54 players to Belton on Saturday per UMHB’s Week 2 game notes.
“We have some young men who have the opportunities and the capabilities of excelling,” Ramirez said. “Now it’s just time to go out there and put it together.”
