Sports News and Features

Annual Community Day Features a Variety of Events

For Immediate Release:
Feb. 14, 2008

RICHMOND, Ind. — Busy is the best way to describe the upcoming the Community Day activities this Saturday in the Athletics and Wellness Center at Earlham College.

Scheduled events include a pair of basketball games, a tennis match, National Girls and Women in Sports Day. “It will be an extremely busy day, Earlham Athletics Director Frank Carr said. “We are going have a variety of activities for all ages.” Admission is free, but donations will be accepted with the proceeds supporting the Lamar Lundy Fund benefiting the Townsend Center.

Think Pink will be a part of the women’s basketball game against North Coast Athletic Conference foe Kenyon College on Schuckman Court that starts at 1 p.m. Fans are asked to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness in a nationwide campaign sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

“I am proud to be a member of the WBCA, which is an organization that has taken the time to bring breast cancer awareness to the forefront by organizing the Think Pink campaign,” Earlham Coach Liana Coutts said. “The women's basketball coaches in the NCAC have also taken a strong interest in supporting Think Pink because of the unfortunate loss of our colleague Pam Smith.”

Smith was the head coach at Wittenberg University until this season and had over 400 wins in her 21-year career. “Pam lost her battle with breast cancer the past summer,” Coutts said. “She has the most wins and highest winning percentage in NCAC women's basketball history.”

National Girls and Women in Sports Day

The first event of the day gets underway early in the morning. Registration for National Girls and Women in Sports Day in the Athletics and Wellness Center begins at 9:30 a.m.

The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “I think National Girls and Women in Sports Day is a wonderful opportunity for Earlham athletes to work with girls in the community,” Earlham Field Hockey Coach Jill Butcher said. “It is our hope that this day is not only fun for all involved but that we also empower these girls by showing them that playing athletics in college is a possibility for everyone.”

Girls from 3rd-to-8th grade can take part in swimming, volleyball, basketball, soccer and camp games. Lunch will be served in the Observation Room at 11:45 p.m. The participants can then attend the women’s basketball contest.

Basketball Senior Day

There are two seniors on the women’s team and three on the men’s squad. The five players along with one cheerleader will be recognized on Saturday. The men’s contest against Ohio Wesleyan University is slated to start at 3 p.m.

Whitney McBurrows (Lansing, MI/J.W. Sexton) and Samantha Lurie (Lansing, MI/J.W. Sexton) are in their final season with the women’s team, while men’s players Nick Welsh (Muncie, IN/Wes-Del), Neil Collins (Ft. Wayne, IN/North) and Terrel Brown (Richmond, IN/Richmond) are nearing the end of their careers.

Even though both basketball teams have one home game remaining next weekend against the College of Wooster, Saturday’s game were selected because the College is on mid-term break next week.

Tennis Match

On the Trueblood Fieldhouse tennis courts, the Earlham women’s team will open the spring with a match against Wilmington College at 1 p.m. “I know there will be a lot of people in the Athletics and Wellness Center on Saturday and we’re happy to be a small part of the day,” Earlham Tennis Coach Justin Carrier said.

—EC —

Contact:
Don Tincher, sports information director
765/983-1795 — E-Mail Don