INDIANAPOLIS — The Pittsburg State University football team ranked fourth in NCAA Division II in home attendance during the 2016 season according to NCAA statistics officially released Wednesday (Apr. 12).

The Gorillas averaged 9,612 fans in five home games at 7,950-seat Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium in 2016. Pitt State ranked behind only Grand Valley State University (12,549 avg), Tuskegee University (10,130 avg) and Miles College (9,624 avg) in home attendance last fall.
 
Thanks to five standing-room-only regular season crowds, Carnie Smith Stadium was filled to 120.91% capacity for the season – the second-largest average crowd in Division II based upon capacity percentage. Assumption College averaged 2,159 fans in its 1,200 seat stadium (179.95%) and UNC Pembroke averaged 5,233 fans in its 3,600 seat stadium (145.37%).
 
"Our coaching staff and players appreciate the tremendous way Gorilla Nation supports us," Pitt State head football coach Tim Beck said. "We say there's nothing quite like Saturdays in the fall at Carnie Smith Stadium and our consistent top five rankings bear that out."
 
Among MIAA schools, Pitt State averaged a whopping 2,483 more fans per game than the Gorillas' closest conference rival. Northwest Missouri State University averaged 7,129 fans, 14^th nationally and the University of Central Missouri averaged 6,436 fans, 17^th nationally.
 
As a league, the MIAA averaged 5,313 fans on the season, ranking third behind the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (7,689 avg) and the Lone Star Conference (5,491 avg).
 
The 2016 season marked the fifth straight season Pitt State ranked in the top five nationally in home attendance. The Gorillas ranked third nationally from 2012 to 2015, averaging 10,055 fans in 2012 (5^th), 10,030 fans in 2013 (3^rd), 9,813 fans in 2014 and 9,856 fans in 2015 (3^rd). The Gorillas ranked eighth nationally in 2011 with 8,657 fans per game.
 
During the last 19 seasons, Pitt State has averaged 8,411 fans per home game (1,026,186 fans in 122 games). The Gorillas have averaged 9,593 fans per game in their last 35 home games, dating back to the start of the 2011 season (335,748 fans).
 
"Gorilla Nation should take great pride in sharing in this lofty ranking along with Pittsburg State University," athletic director Jim Johnson said. "As a staff and an institution we take pride in providing one of the best home game atmospheres in the country; and we continue to strive to improve it even more. We look forward to Gorilla Nation's tremendous support through season ticket sales again in 2017 as the season fast approaches."
 
For fans interested in season ticket information, contact Lacie Anderson in PSU Athletics at (620) 235-4389.
 
 
2016 MIAA Attendance       G    Total    Avg
 1. Pitt State             5    48060   9612
 2. Northwest Missouri     8    57028   7129
 3. Central Missouri       6    38617   6436
 4. Washburn               6    36918   6164
 5. Emporia State          6    34243   5707
 6. Missouri Western       5    25764   5153
 7. Missouri Southern      6    27725   4621
 8. Central Oklahoma       6    23989   3998
 9. Fort Hays State        5    18495   3699
10. Nebraska-Kearney       6    21679   3613
11. Lindenwood             5    13442   2688
12. Northeastern State     5    10570   2114
    MIAA Totals           70   371942   5313