The 15th Derby City Classic will take place at Louisville, Kentucky.
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 U.S. District Judge George Sleet. His father, the late Moneta Sleet, Jr. was the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography. His winning photo was of Coretta Scott King at the funeral of Martin Luther King. Moneta Sleet was born in Owensboro, KY .
BELLARMINE
Mascot: Knights
City: Louisville, KY
Coach: greenhawks
Iba Record : 1498-489
Previous schools: Wilmington
Best DII finish: National Champs ‘42
RU ’39. ‘59
Final Four ’32, ’36, ’38, ’52, ’54, ‘71
ADAMS STATE
Mascot: Grizzles
City: Alamosa, CO
Coach: cspangler
Iba Record : 354-148
Previous schools: Albion
Best DII finish: 2nd round ‘72
FAIRMONT ST.
Mascot: Falcons
City: Fairmont,WV
Coach: readhead
Iba Record : 418-249
Previous schools: George Fox, Grinnell, Belmont-Abbey, Wayne (MI), Mansfield
Best DII finish: Sweet 16, ’37 (Wayne St.)
JOHNSON C. SMITH
Mascot: Golden Bulls
City: Charlotte, NC
Coach: oldave
Iba Record : 1075-237
Previous schools: SUNY Oneonta
Best DII finish: 2nd round, ’71 and ‘72
Also won DIII titles in ‘15, ’31, and ‘35
NO. ALABAMA
Mascot: Lions
City: Florence, AL
Coach: pinkeye
Iba Record : 647-295
Previous schools: Ozarks, Ft. Valley, N. Florida, Seton Hall, Ouachita Baptist
Best DII finish: National Champs ’45 and ’49 (N. Florida)
SLIPPERY ROCK
Mascot: none. Unofficially, the mascot is Rocky-The Pride of the Rock.
City: Slippery Rock, PA
Coach: ryanconrey
Iba Record : 982-482
Previous schools: Concordia, Austin and McMurry
Best DII finish: Final Four ‘47