Scholarship for Former Players Honors UCA Football Legends

CONWAY, Ark. — What started out as a brainstorming idea between a couple of 1976 UCA football teammates and got a boost from a former coach has turned into a reality. Now it has a name that honors a legendary player and service from a legendary family.

“We talked that day and numerous times in the months before our reunion,” said Bobby Rich from Alma, one of the pair of team members that worked with David Foyil from Camden. “We knew that our team had been leaders in 1976 and wanted to do something as a group to give back to UCA and the athletics program.”

That team in 1976 started what has become the winningest football program in Arkansas at a clip over 70%. They didn’t win a title, though, dropping the national championship game to a Texas A&I team.

An annual reunion that team has, keeping as many as possible together over the years, was when they wanted to introduce the idea. Foyil and Rich had settled on an idea for a scholarship, but they were struggling with an idea for what type.

That’s when former coach and athletics director Vance Strange and his wife, Jan, stepped in as he has done for decades. If you want something done in Conway or involving UCA and keeping the old AIC conference in everyone’s memory, he’s the one you call.

“There was a discussion about any ideas he might have on a scholarship topic,” Rich said. “He mentioned one of his and Jan’s biggest disappointment was when a players’ eligibility ran out before graduation and they didn’t have the resources to make it back.”

Former athletics director Brad Teague was on-board when he first heard about it. He was also a little surprised

“They certainly were a successful team that’s had a lasting impact on UCA athletics, not just football,” Teague said last summer. “That team has stayed together. They’ve gone above and beyond in their continuing support. They come back every year and it’s a good number of them, not just a few guys.

“The scholarship they’ve endowed proves that. They aren’t content to just talk about what they did that year. They back it up.”

The scholarship idea was announced at their 40th reunion in 2016 when they announced high school coaching legend, a former player that was working as a graduate assistant in 1976, as a posthumous honoree. It took a few years of efforts raising the money to get it fully endowed. They worked with Strange, other members of the team and now-athletics director Matt Whiting to accomplish that in 2023.

“We all knew players that could have benefited from such a scholarship,” Rich said.

The requirements to be fully endowed under the UCA requirements were met last year.

“It’s a big factor in our scholarship efforts and it’s a significant part of it,” Teague said.

Former UCA Bears great Monte Coleman with the Washington Redskins.

Originally it was formed as the Bears Athletic Scholarship Fund for any athlete (any sport, male or female) who fit the criteria for extra funding to graduate. It was announced at the 40th reunion of the team in 2016, they recognized and honored former teammate and graduate assistant coach John Outlaw. He became a high school coaching legend in Arkansas at Arkadelphia and in Texas and two schools.

“There was one thing we missed,” Rich said. “The driving reason behind Vance and Jan Strange’s motive for the scholarship idea was Monte Coleman, who left school early to prepare for the NFL draft and played 16 years for the Washington Redskins and is our 1976 teammate and brother.”

They came up with a new name that reflects the best player in school history and someone who’s given back to UCA and been involved with projects all over town for decades.

The group, with others who continue to contribute, finally had their name.

“Members of the 1976 team are a very close-knit group,” said Whiting, who replaced Teague AD this summer, but has worked with the team on the scholarship for the last several years. “They continue to build on the relationships forged during their time in Conway, come back to campus often, and are very supportive of each other.

“Renaming the scholarship endowment established by them further illustrates their bond and desire to build on their legacy at UCA. We are thankful for their support and the impact that this scholarship endowment will have on Central Arkansas Athletics now and into the future.”

The scholarship is now the Monte Coleman-Vance and Jan Strange Post-Athletic Career Scholarship Fund. You can contribute to the scholarship or find out more information HERE. A formal letter will be sent out soon to all UCA Lettermen regarding the financial goals and levels of the fund raising campaign that we are targeting.