McNeese Set For 2026 Southland Football Media Day

Lake Charles, Louisiana - As the summer heat bears down on Southwest Louisiana, that can only mean one thing... Football season is on the horizon. Soon, campus will be filled with students and tailgaters, and Navarre Stadium will be packed for Saturday night games in The Hole. With the season quickly approaching, the McNeese Cowboys are getting ready for the unofficial start of the year as they head to Southland Conference Football Media Days. Here's everything you need to know before the Cowboys take the stage.

READ MORE: McNeese Releases 2026 Cowboy Block Party Lineup

CANVA

Southland Conference Football Media Day Set For Tuesday

On Tuesday, July 21, the Southland Conference will hold its annual Football Opening Drive, also known as Media Day, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Southland Media Days will once again be held alongside the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Coaching School and Convention.

Fans who want to watch the event can stream it live on ESPN+ beginning at 9:00 a.m.

All 10 Southland Conference football teams will be represented during the event. Head coaches and student-athletes will take part in interviews, panel discussions, press conferences, and media sessions to help preview the upcoming season.

READ MORE: McNeese Announces Date for LSU/McNeese Pre-Season Scrimmage

McNeese Athletics/Raymond Stewart

McNeese Set For Southland Football Media Days - What To Know

McNeese will send Head Coach Matt Viator, Senior Running Back Tre'Vonte Citizen, and Senior Safety Javon Davis to the event. Fans will be able to hear from them in two different settings, both during the desk interview with the Southland panel at 1:00 and the press conference with the media at 1:45.

2026 Southland Conference Media Day Team-By-Team Breakdown

For fans interested in hearing from the rest of the Southland Conference, here's how the day will lay out...

• East Texas A&M – Clint Dolezel, EJ Oakmon (RB, Sr.), Orion Kupu (DB, Jr.)
  • Panel Desk at 11:00 & Press Conference at 11:45
• Houston Christian – Jason Bachtel, Keith Wheeler (WR, R-Sr.), Trent Zappe (LB, R-Sr.)
  • Panel Desk at 2:00 & Press Conference at 2:45
• Incarnate Word – Clint Killough, Jameson Garcia (WR, R-Jr.), Terrell Elliott (DL, Sr.)
  • Panel Desk at 11:30 & Press Conference at 12:45
• Lamar – Pete Rossomando, Mar Mar Evans (DB, Jr.), John Hester (OL, Sr.)
  • Panel Desk at 1:30 & Press Conference at 2:15
• McNeese – Matt Viator, Tre'Vonte Citizen (RB, Sr.), Javon Davis (S, Sr.)
  • Panel Desk at 1:00 & Press Conference at 1:45
• Nicholls – Tommy Rybacki, Ean Rodriguez (QB, R-Jr.), Alex Villavaso (DL, R-Sr.)
  • Panel Desk at 10:00 & Press Conference at 10:45
• Northwestern State – Blaine McCorkle, Myion Hicks (RB, Gr.), Danny Sears (LB, Gr.)
  • Panel Desk at 12:30 & Press Conference at 11:15
• Southeastern – Frank Scelfo, Kyle Lowe (QB, Jr.), Peyton Anderson (DL, Sr.)
  • Panel Desk at 10:30 & Press Conference at 9:45
• Stephen F. Austin – Colby Carthel, Erik Gray (OL, R-Sr.), Bugs Mortimer (RET/WR, R-So.)
  • Panel Desk at 2:30 & Press Conference at 1:15
• UTRGV – Travis Bush, Nick Hughes (OL, R-So.), Jaiden Haygood (LB, R-So.)
  • Panel Desk at 9:30 & Press Conference at 10:15