LIVINGSTON, Ala. – With 21 days remaining until the University of West Alabama football team opens the 2010 season, the UWA football team took to the synthetic turf field in Tiger Stadium for its first practice on Saturday afternoon.

Lightning in the area did force a short interruption in the practice schedule, but the Tigers were able to resume practice following the weather threat.

“It was a good first day of practice,” UWA Head Coach Bobby Wallace said. “We had a short interruption with the weather, but we were able to come back out. Anytime you have an interruption like that, you lose a step in practice, but we are pleased with our first day.”

Wallace and his staff welcomed over a 120 student-athletes on Friday afternoon before beginning camp on Saturday. The Tigers will hold single practices at 3:45 p.m. for the first five days of camp and will begin two-a-days on Thursday. 

“We are in very good shape and you are always pleased with that on the first day,” said Wallace, who begins his 23rd season as a head coach and fifth at the helm in Livingston. “We had 60 or so guys that stayed here over the summer and worked out and it shows. Everyone is healthy. We appear to have a lot of depth this season and that showed up today in the first practice.”

UWA, which posted an 8-5 record last season and made its first playoff appearance in 34 years, looks to build upon last season's success. The Tigers were selected second by the GSC head coaches in pre-season poll, marking the team's highest pre-season ranking since 1976. UWA previously entered as the top ranked team in 1976 and 1972. The Red and White earned 84 total points led by two first-place votes and four second-place nods.

UWA has received recognition in the national pre-season polls. The Tigers were tabbed 12th in the USA Today Pre-Season Poll and are ranked 23rd in the Lindy's Preseason Top 25 and 24th in the Sporting News Preseason Top 25.

West Alabama opens the season on Saturday, Aug. 28 against NAIA member Shorter College in Demopolis, Ala. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.