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NCAA News Release
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NCAA Lines UP Opening Ceremonies Entertainment, Speakers And Emcees For First-Ever Division II National Championship Festival
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For Immediate Release
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
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Contact(s)
Gail Dent
Associate Director of Public Relations
317/917-6132
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INDIANAPOLIS---A performance from a world-renowned rock band, an appearance from a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and remarks from sports personalities, NCAA representatives and local officials highlight the Opening Ceremonies and festivities scheduled for nearly 600 student-athletes at the first-ever NCAA Division II National Championship Festival, May 12-16, in central Florida.
CBS sports reporter Bonnie Bernstein will be the emcee for the Opening Ceremonies that will take place on Wednesday, May 12 at 8 p.m., at Hard Rock Live in central Florida, just outside Orlando. The Opening Ceremonies kick the Division II National Championship Festival into gear with NCAA championship competition in men's and women's tennis, men's and women's golf, lacrosse and softball scheduled. The festival marks the first time the NCAA has held an event where student-athletes will compete for the national titles in six sports in one central geographical location.
Dot Richardson, a three-time NCAA All-American and team MVP in softball at UCLA (1980-83), national champion team member (1981) and an Olympic gold medalist at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, will be the keynote speaker at the Opening Ceremonies. Also welcoming the athletes and fans will be NCAA senior vice-president for governance and membership Bernard Franklin and executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission John Saboor. The evening will conclude with a live performance from Collective Soul, the highly successful rock band that has topped the charts with numerous hits and posted worldwide sales in the millions.
NCAA president Myles Brand will present the national championship trophies and academic awards to the teams at the Closing Ceremonies, which will be held on Saturday, May 15 at 8 p.m., at the Altamonte Mall. ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale also will address the student-athletes and fans as the keynote speaker at the closing festivities. In addition, there will be a presentation of student-athlete academic awards and a professional highlight montage of the week's competitions and events shown during the closing event.
Beginning May 8 and running through May 16, fans can enjoy the NCAA Beyond the Games presented by CBS Sports interactive entertainment that will take place at the Altamonte Mall. The Beyond the Game tour has journeyed to NCAA championships, NCAA college campuses and various community events, providing fans with an opportunity to participate in simulated athletic experiences in sport zones.
The championship festival is a new concept for the NCAA, featuring an Olympic-type setting that includes a student-athlete village where the participants can interact socially when not competing and shuttle transportation spectator events. The goal of the championship festival is to enhance the student-athlete collegiate experience and to create more exposure for NCAA Division II sports. The NCAA Division II Championships Committee plans to conduct the championships festival once every four years to give each class of student-athletes the opportunity to participate.
The Central Florida Sports Commission has taken the lead on helping the NCAA make the event a success. The commission has been involved in previous NCAA Division II championship events, such as the 1998 Division II Women's Volleyball Championships; the 2002 Division II Men's Golf Championships; and the 2003 Division II Women's Golf Championships. Also assisting is the Sunshine State Conference and Rollins College.
The following is a list of the sports, venues, geographical locations and dates of competition for the NCAA Division II National Championships Festival:
- Men's Golf - Victoria Hills Golf Club (Deland, Florida), May 12-15
- Women's Golf - The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes (Longwood, Florida), May 12-15
- Women's Lacrosse - University of Central Florida (Orlando Florida), May 13, 15
- Softball - Seminole County Softball Complex (Altamonte Springs, Florida), May 13-16
- Men's Tennis - Seminole County Sanlando Park (Altamonte Springs, Florida), May 12-15
- Women's Tennis - Seminole County Sanlando Park (Altamonte Springs, Florida), May 12-15
- For more information on the 2004 NCAA National Championships Festival, log on to www.ncaasports.com.
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