Milligan Announces September 15 Clinic in conjunction with U.S. Senior National Game
August 28, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s College Basketball
Rider Conducting Clinic in Conjunction with
Women’s Senior National Team
LAWRENCEVILLE—In conjunction with the exhibition game between the USA Women’s Senior National Team and Australian Senior National team on Sunday, September 16 at Sovereign Bank Arena, Lynn Milligan, the head coach of the Rider women’s basketball team has announced that the Broncs will conduct a clinic with select members of the U.S. national team signing autographs at Alumni Gym on the Rider University campus Saturday, September 15. The clinic starts at 12:30pm with the autograph session scheduled for 1:30pm. The clinic is open to students in grades one through eight.
The clinic is free and individuals and groups can register by calling assistant coach Rashana Barnes at 609-895-5686 or via e-mail at rbarnes@rider.edu. The first 50 participants who sign up for the clinic will receive a free ticket to the Sovereign Bank Arena game on Sunday.
“Our goal is to not only get people in our gym but bring everyone back for the game on Sunday at the Sovereign Bank Arena,” said Milligan who was hired to lead the Bronc program April 24, 2007. “Having some of the best players in the world come to our campus will be a great experience for all who can attend. Any excitement that we can create by running the clinic will only help make the exhibition game more successful.”
The clinic will be interactive with the Rider coaching staff and the Bronc players going through drills with those attending participating in the drills themselves.
After the autograph session, select players from the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team will be on hand for a question and answer period from clinic participants.
The game on September 16, between 2004 Olympic gold medalist U.S. team and the 2006 World Champion Australian team, is slated to tip-off at 1:00pm at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. Tickets can be bought on-line at comcasttix.com.
“We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of having the U.S. team in our area,” said Milligan. “We are supporting this game because it is a great event for Mercer County and it is also a chance for Rider University to showcase its campus and the women’s basketball team and generate fan support and interest in our program. With the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference basketball championship in 2009 and the NCAA’s coming back to Trenton in 2009 and 2010, we felt that this would be a great opportunity for Rider to help Mika Ryan and the Mercer County Sports and Entertainment Commission fill the arena.”
“We are thrilled and excited to have Rider run the clinic in conjunction with the game,” said Ryan. “Having clinics around the game is only going to help promote this event and the sport of women’s basketball in Mercer County.”
The U.S. team will be comprised of members of the 2007-2008 USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team, which lists 22 players including eight Olympic gold medalists, six World Championship gold medalists and all 12 members of the bronze medalist 2006 USA World Championship Team.
“Our goal is to be heavily involved in the community,” Milligan added. “Whether it is on our campus or going into the schools in our local area, we need to grow the sport and increase our fan base to make Rider the successful program that it can be.”
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