BCSP Notes . . .
MEAC Basketball Tip-Off set
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host its annual basketball press luncheon beginning at 12 noon, Wednesday, October 15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (460 North Cherry St., 27101/336-724-2300). MEAC head men's and women's basketball coaches will be in attendance to offer insight on the upcoming 2008-09 basketball season.
A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the press luncheon and can be purchased by contacting Terria Galvez in the MEAC office at (757) 416-7100. Tickets are $20 per person or $200 per table (10 people) and must be purchased before 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9.
Head coaches of the women's programs will be available for one-on-one interviews beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by the head coaches of the men's teams beginning at 10:30 a.m.
In addition to the one-on-one interview sessions, the MEAC will announce its men's and women's basketball preseason predicted order of finish and preseason teams during the press luncheon beginning at 12:30 p.m.
The 2008-09 MEAC basketball season tips-off on Friday, November 14 with 17 of the 22 MEAC men's and women's teams in action. The reigning MEAC men's tournament champion, Coppin State, will travel to Dover, Delaware during opening weekend to compete against Delaware State, Cheyney University and Wilmington University in the Hornet Classic.
The Coppin State Lady Eagles, winners of the 2008 MEAC women's basketball tournament crown, will head to Washington, D.C. to open up their season on Monday November, 17 against George Washington.
The 2009 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips off March 9-14 at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (LJVM) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
For more information about MEAC Basketball, log on to www.meacsports.com <http://www.meacsports.com/> or visit www.meachoops.com <http://www.meachoops.com/> .
CIAA Tourney gets reduced hotel rates
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) announced that twenty-four Charlotte area hotels have agreed to reduce their room rates by 15 percent and will waive any minimum-night stay requirements during the 2009 CIAA Tournament Week.
"The CIAA realizes these are tough economic times," said CIAA Commissioner Leon Kerry. "Any relief that we can provide to CIAA fan's and alumni's purse strings during Tournament Week will help them focus on the fun and festivities of the event. We appreciate what Tim Newman and the CRVA have done."
The CIAA Tournament has enjoyed unprecedented success since conference officials moved the event to Charlotte in 2006. After registering an economic impact of just over $15 million in 2006, the 2008 Tournament drew a record breaking $30.7 million economic impact to the Queen City.
"In hopes to be able to attract even more CIAA fans to the market, these additional hotel options offer an economical option for tournament attendees," added Tim Newman, CRVA CEO. The CIAA recently inked a three-year deal with Charlotte to host the Tournament until the year 2011.
"Our goal at the CIAA is continue to grow the Tournament and we do not want anything deterring our fans from coming to Charlotte in February and having the time of our lives," says Commissioner Kerry.
A list of the participating twenty-four hotels are provided on the CIAA Tournament Web site, www.ciaatournament.org , specifically located on the "Buy Tickets" page.
© 2008 Azeez Communications, Inc.