Nicholls State football players stuck in Marion, Illinois airport November 26, 2023.
After losing to Southern Illinois Saturday afternoon, the Nicholls State football team was stranded in a small airport, in Marion, Illinois for 22 hours. Nicholls’ Athletic Director Jonathan Terrell said first it was a pilot issue with the chartered flight, then the next flight was canceled. But he said they made the best of it and finally made it home Sunday night.
“They found a way to make it through. I always talk about finding a way to bond and sometimes some of these things happen for a reason, God’s plan, is for us to be a little bit closer as human beings and I thought that that happened,” said Terrell.
Terrell said the restaurants closed overnight in the small airport, they had no transportation, and were unable to book a hotel last minute due to the size of the party.
“They have cheerleaders and trainers and to deal with a football team, it’s not like having a basketball team or a smaller team of any sort. You’re dealing with 140 people,” said Terrell.
Coming back to Thibodaux never felt so good pic.twitter.com/RGL3PbfI0Y
— Nicholls Football
(@Nicholls_FB) November 27, 2023
The players, cheerleaders, and staff ended up sleeping on the floor and in chairs at the small airport. Terrell said it was a frustrating situation made worse when they weren’t able to get any answers from Eastern Airlines, the charter flight company.
“I think the biggest part is the lack of communication in the middle of the night when you’re looking for answers, whether it’s a new flight, a new pilot, or something. That became the biggest issue for us,” said Terrell.
The team arrived back to campus Sunday night just before 9:30.
Because it was a playoff game the NCAA is in charge of coordinating travel.
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