Chris Ball, Draycen Hall and Mark Ho Ching to Represent NAU Football at the 2023 Big Sky Football Kickoff

SPOKANE, Wash. (July 20, 2023) - The 2023 football season is just around the corner, and the 2023 Big Sky Football Kickoff will unofficially get the preseason underway this weekend. The kickoff, that includes student-athletes and head football coaches from all 12 programs around the league, will take place on July 22-24 in Spokane, Wash., at Northern Quest Resort and Casino.
 
Northern Arizona University's representatives will be fifth-year head coach, Chris Ball, along with junior running back Draycen Hall and senior defensive lineman Mark Ho Ching. The trio will be live on ESPN+ on Monday, July 24 starting at 9:30 a.m.
 
Northern Quest Resort and Casino will host all of the weekend's events. On Saturday, student-athletes will take part in a youth football clinic in Spokane's North Central High School. Following the community service event, the Big Sky will host its second Hall of Fame induction ceremony where former NAU running back, Archie Amerson, will be inducted. The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN+ and various Scripps Sports streaming platforms that are listed at the bottom of this release. For more on Amerson and his induction, click HERE.
 
Sunday's events include video interviews, photoshoots and meetings, followed by a dinner that evening where the league's Preseason Offensive and Defensive MVP's will be announced along with the 2023 Big Sky Presidents' Cup. Throughout the weekend, the Big Sky will also provide programing to the league's assistant coaches and sports information directors through Big Sky U.
 
Monday will feature more than five hours of live coverage from Northern Quest beginning at 9 a.m. on ESPN+ with all 12 head coaches and a pair of student-athletes from each institution. The 2023 All-Big Sky Preseason Team and preseason polls will be announced on Monday, July 24, as well.
 
The Lumberjacks officially open Fall camp on Wednesday, Aug. 2, and the season opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 2 against Arizona in Tucson.
 
2023 Big Sky Football Kickoff Live Show (ESPN+)
9:15 a.m. – Cal Poly (Wulff/Weichman/Ngaluafe)
9:30 a.m. – Northern Arizona (Ball/Hall/Ho Ching)
9:44 a.m. – Weber State (Mental/Atagi/Reid)
10:05 a.m. – Montana State (Vigen/Chambers/Askelson)
10:38 a.m. – Idaho State (Hawkins/Davis/Pitcher)
10:54 a.m. – UC Davis (Hawkins/Hastings/Connors)
11:08 a.m. – Northern Colorado (Lamb/Sirmon/Hoage)
11:29 a.m. – Portland State (Barnum/Chachere/Henry)
11:50 a.m. – Montana (Hauck/Forbes/Cotton)
12:04 p.m. – Sacramento State (Thompson/Martin/Bailey)
12:29 p.m. – Eastern Washington (Best/Chism III/Sampson)
12:43 p.m. – Idaho (Eck/Hatten/Jackson)
 
*All Times Listed PT
 
Scripps Sports Streaming Platforms
KPAX Missoula
KTVQ Billings
KBZK Bozeman
KRTV Great Falls
KTVH Helena
KIVI Boise
KSTU Salt Lake
KSBY San Luis Obispo
KNXV Phoenix
KMGH Denver