INDIANAPOLIS --- The 2006 NCAA Convention and Centennial Celebration begins Friday and will include a special event screening of Walt Disney Pictures' "Glory Road."

"Glory Road" tells the inspiring true story of the underdog Texas Western basketball team, with the NCAA's first all African-American starting lineup of players, who took the country by storm, surprisingly winning the 1966 NCAA tournament title. The film will be released nationally on January 13.

The special event screening, conducted in conjunction with the Heartland Film Festival(r), will be in honor of the NCAA's 100th anniversary and the film festival's 15th anniversary. The event will be at the Murat Theatre in downtown Indianapolis for NCAA Convention delegates and dignitaries as well as Heartland guests.

Former Texas Western team members will be in attendance, including Nevil Shed, David Lattin, Jerry Armstrong and former assistant coach Moe Iba. There will be a Q&A session immediately following the screening. The former student-athletes and assistant coach will also participate in a keynote luncheon, hosted by the NCAA Office of Diversity and Inclusion, at 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Sagamore Ballroom 6-7 of the Convention Center. (NOTE: Media opportunities will be available immediately before and after the luncheon.)

"This film depicts a historical moment in the chronicles of NCAA intercollegiate athletics," said Charlotte Westerhaus, NCAA vice president for diversity and inclusion. "'Glory Road' poignantly depicts the first African-American starting lineup of student-athletes to play in NCAA basketball competition and a team that was disciplined and focused in their endeavor to consistently win on the court, overcoming constant and egregious societal barriers at every game.

"But there is even more to the story because they were also students who went on to graduate from college and later become viable leaders in their communities," Westerhaus added. "The Texas Western team and their coach, Don Haskins, truly paved a 'glory road' when there wasn't one, and as a result, thousands of student athletes have followed their steps to achieve their dreams."

The 1966 men's basketball championship was chosen as one of the "NCAA's 25 Defining Moments" by a special panel that included college presidents, athletics directors, faculty representatives, student-athletes and conference representatives. This "Defining Moment" began airing as one of 25 30-second vignettes on ESPN Classic and ESPNU January 2.

"The fact that a film has been made about the 1966 NCAA men's basketball championship and was also selected by our membership as one of the 'NCAA's 25 Defining Moments' is an example that the NCAA not only shapes college athletics, but it also plays an important role in shaping American society," said John Johnson, NCAA director of promotions and events. "We are excited to be able to bring this special screening of 'Glory Road' to our delegates attending the NCAA Convention as we begin the NCAA Centennial celebration. We appreciate the opportunity Heartland Film Festival and Disney have presented to us, by working with us and allowing this special screening to occur in conjunction with the Convention."

"By hosting this special event screening with the NCAA, Heartland Film Festival continues to fulfill its mission to feature and honor films like "Glory Road" that exemplify the best of the human spirit," said Jeffrey L. Sparks, president of the Heartland Film Festival. "We are also thrilled to work with Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films in screening this Truly Moving Picture and are honored to hold this event for the NCAA and its delegates."

According to the University of Texas, El Paso (formerly Texas Western), website, www.utep.edu/gloryroad, Armstrong was a tough defender at 6 foot 4 and 195 pounds a valuable player for the Miners. He played 24 games in the 1966 season as a senior. He retired in 1996 after 30 years in education. He was basketball coach at four schools in Missouri for more than 21 years, compiling a 329-195 record. Armstrong also taught high school biology and physical education. He and his wife, Mary, live in Mountain Grove, Missouri. They have two sons and four grandchildren.

With a thunderous dunk, 6 foot 6, 240-pound Lattin set the tone for the 1966 championship game. He scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds, living up to his two nicknames: "Big Daddy" and "Daddy D." Lattin lives in Houston, Texas, and is keeping busy with a number of business projects, including buying and selling homes. He's also working on a book about his life, "Slam Dunk to Glory," which he hopes to publish by the end of 2005. Lattin says he stays in shape by riding about 100 miles a week on his Cannondale road bike.

At 6 foot 8, Nevil Shed was the tallest of the '65-66 Miners. A native New Yorker used to an East Coast run-and-gun style of play, Shed had to make some major adjustments under Haskins' methodical, dribbling and passing system. Shed now lives in San Antonio, working as coordinator for student programs at the University of Texas-San Antonio's University Center. He is married to Melba Shed. They have seven children and six grandchildren.

Truly Moving Pictures are films that explore the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. These films unlock the vast potential of the human spirit and enable us to view stories that display courage, integrity and hope, taking entertainment to a higher level. For more than a decade the goal of Heartland has remained the same: to make a positive impact on American culture through film and to encourage moviegoers to see life differently. More information is available at the official Web site: www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org or visit www.TrulyMovingPictures.org to view Heartland's list of Truly Moving Pictures.

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MEDIA NOTE: The deadline for media to register for the 2006 NCAA Convention has passed. However, if you would like to attend Convention, but have not registered, please contact NCAA public and media relations at its temporary convention office at 317/262-1334 or e-mail dthomas@ncaa.org.

In an effort to make the NCAA Convention more informative to media members, all business sessions and educational forums will be open to the working press. Click the following link for Convention registration and general information: http://www1.ncaa.org/convention/2006/index.html

The NCAA Centennial electronic media kit will be updated throughout the Centennial year. Click the following link for the online media kit: http://web1.ncaa.org/cent/mediaKit.jsp

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges, universities and athletics conferences committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 360,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 49,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. For more information, visit www.ncaa.org.

Heartland Film Festival, a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. Each October, Heartland screens Truly Moving Pictures from around the world, ranging from dramas to documentaries to animation. Heartland awards more than $100,000 in cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival's top entries, including a $50,000 grand prize for best dramatic feature. The Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners for the best student films and the Crystal Heart Award winners share the remaining money. The Crystal Heart Award cash prizes are given in honor of Max Simon by his parents, Melvin and Bren Simon, through the Max Simon Charitable Foundation. In 14 years, Heartland has awarded more than $1.4 million to support filmmakers in their quest to create Truly Moving Pictures.