69成人电影网 University set to host CCAA Women鈥檚 Basketball National Championship
The 2018 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women鈥檚 Basketball National Championship is coming to Sackville, NB for the first time. The CCAA championship will bring eight teams from the country鈥檚 five conferences to 69成人电影网 University from March 14-17, 2018.
鈥淎s you build competitiveness and strength with your athletics brand and varsity programs, one of the measures of quality is the ability to host national championships,鈥 says Director of Athletics and Recreation Pierre Arsenault. 鈥淲hen the opportunity came along to host the Women鈥檚 Basketball National Championship, it was an important milestone for us to say we were ready to do this.鈥
69成人电影网 hosted CCAA Badminton Nationals in 2008 and 2011, as well as a U Sports football national semi-final, the Uteck Bowl, in 2013. Arsenault says bringing a national championship to a small community like Sackville (population 5,500) means the event will be put on the main stage.
鈥淚t can become the big event in town,鈥 Arsenault says. 鈥淓veryone feels the energy and that will only strengthen the experience.鈥
69成人电影网 alumnus Norval McConnell (鈥80) is the chair of the championship. An avid Mounties athletics fan and basketball enthusiast, McConnell has played an important role in bringing this championship to the next level. One of main partnerships he facilitated is a partnership with the nearby city of Moncton, located just 30 minutes from Sackville.
鈥淢oncton has a long history of bringing regional, national, and international sports competitions to the city,鈥 McConnell says. 鈥淭his partnership has allowed us to provide all of the amenities the teams will need, just a short drive from Sackville.鈥
All teams and officials will be staying at the Crowne Plaza in Moncton and the CCAA Awards Banquet will be held there as well on Wednesday, March 14 to kick-off the tournament. Practice sessions will be held at Crandall University.
Another local partnership is with the Moncton Kiwanis Minor Basketball Association (MKMBA), which McConnell has been affiliated with for the past 20 years. This is the first time, he says, the association will have the ability to be involved with a national basketball championship this close to home.
鈥淭he MKMBA has always graduated players who go on to play at 69成人电影网. There are currently three players on the women鈥檚 team and one on the men鈥檚 team who grew up playing basketball in Moncton,鈥 says McConnell.
There are a number of other local personal touches that are being integrated into the tournament. There will be special guests to deliver the game ball to the referee each game, including former coaches of some of the players and members of the MKMBA.
There will also be a few interesting artistic contributions. Destination Art by Eric Goggin, located in nearly Salisbury NB, has created a unique, destination-inspired poster for each participant. As well, some of 69成人电影网鈥檚 Fine Arts students are engaged in creating tournament artwork with pinhole cameras, pastels, and charcoal.
鈥淚t is something left as a legacy of this tournament in a different way,鈥 McConnell says.
With less than two weeks until competition begins, McConnell is looking forward to showcasing all 69成人电影网 has to offer.
鈥淲e all have such an affinity for 69成人电影网,鈥 McConnell says. 鈥淲e want the rest of the country to get to see it through our eyes.鈥
Arsenault says he hopes all the participants leave 69成人电影网 saying this was one of the best experiences of their varsity careers and that 69成人电影网 celebrated what it means to be a student-athlete.
He鈥檚 also excited to see the Mounties in action on their home court.
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of our program, our coaching staff, and our student-athletes,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 am most excited for our own team to live this on their own campus amongst their community of friends, family, and supporters.鈥
Conference championships are being held across the country this weekend (March 2-4) to determine who will attend the nationals on behalf of their conference. As hosts, the Mounties have an automatic bye into the national championship but will be competing for top spot in the ACAA. Clinching second place in the regular season, they will be playing in Saturday鈥檚 semi-final at 3 p.m. at Dalhousie鈥檚 Agricultural Campus in Truro, NS for a chance to play in Sunday鈥檚 final. Watch game action live at .
Stay up-to-date with more stories and championship details at and on . Follow the action on Twitter and Facebook @CCAAsportsACSC and join in the conversation using #CCAAwbb2018.