DERBY CITY CLASSIC
Five schools join host Bellarmine to compete for the Black Diamond Trophy. It features a horseshoe carved from genuine Kentucky coal by Kentucky coal crafter Alvin Powell. Presenting the trophy to the winning team will be sand artist Joe Castillo from Richmond, KY. He was a finalist on ‘America’s Got Talent’ this season. You can see his work at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1wPt64pqbk
ARMSTRONG ATLANTIC
From Savannah, GA, the Pirates are coached by kucewicz. In 14 seasons, he’s 322-108 including a Final Four in season #50 and consecutive Sweet 16s in seasons #54-57. They return 9 players from last seasons 24-7 team, which advanced to the 2nd round
Until 1967, the Pirates were known as the Geechees. Geechee is another name for the Gullah people of the Georgia Lowlands. The speak an English-based Creole language.
BELLARMINE
The host Knights are led by veteran coach greenhawks. Thru 30 years, he’s 756-194 at the Louisville, KY school. Included are eight Final Fours, one of which led to a national title and two others as RU.
The Knights return 8 players from last year’s 31-4 squad, which lost 73-69 to U. of the Sciences in the championship tilt.
Bellarmine won the 2011 NCAA DII basketball tournament and made the Final Four in 2012.
CHAMINADE
The Silverswords are coached by joewhatever. He’s been at the Honolulu school for 13 years, with a record of 245-137. They were 7-20 in his first season but have steadily improved ever since. They return 11 players from a 22-9 squad which was eliminated in the 3rd round of the PIT.
In 1982, Chaminade pulled the biggest upset in NCAA basketball history when the NAIA school, in only it’s seventh athletic season, upset #1 Virginia and Ralph Sampson 77-72.
CONCORD
Coach boclaird has been at Concord College in Athens, WV for 43 years! His record with the Mountain Lions is 1031-299 and they return 11 players from last season’s 22-8 team. They were national champions in season #41.
Long-time W.V. Senator Robert Byrd was too poor to go to college. Subsequently, it took him 12 years to earn a degree. Among the schools he attended was Concord.
LIMESTONE
The Saints hail from Gaffney, SC and the Carolina-Virginia Conference. Coach brianxavier has led them for 12 seasons, with a record of 190-143. His first two seasons were 15-39, but they’ve gone 185-104 (64%) since then. They return 11 players from an 18-12 squad that lost in the 1st round of the NT.
Twice, in 2000 and 2002, Limestone won the DII lacrosse championship. With 850 students, they’re they smallest co-educational school to win an NCAA title.
SLIPPERY ROCK
Ryanconrey has been at the PA school for 24 years, amassing 503 wins and only 239 losses. The Rockets had missed the post-season 12 straight times before coach ryan took over. They’ve not been overlooked since and made the Final Four in season #47.
The Rockets return 11 lettermen from last season’s 20-9 team that was eliminated in the 1st round of the NT.
For many years, as a joke, sports announcers would give the Slippery Rock scores when they did the DI results. Slippery Rock was the subject of a famous 1936 article which ‘proved’ that Slippery Rock was better than national champion Minnesota. Slippery Rock defeated Westminster, which defeated WV Wesleyan, which defeated Duquense, which defeated Pitt, which defeated Notre Dame, which defeated Northwestern, which defeated Minnesota!
10/4/2012 12:17 PM (edited)