Feb. 28, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt takes aim at repeating its 2007 Holiday Classic championship this weekend in Bessemer, Ala. The Commodores are gaining momentum as the spring season progresses, finishing second two weeks ago in Maryland.
The tournament starts the day after the team, represented by Coach John Williamson, will be honored by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame as the state’s “Amateur Team of 2007” for its NCAA title.
“We’ve had a good two weeks of practice and are coming together as a team,” Williamson says. “These tournaments always present a real challenge to every team and we are certainly looking forward to accepting the challenge.”
Vanderbilt will travel with eight squad members: juniors Tara Kane, Michelle Peloquin, Karen Grygiel and Kaitlin Reynolds; sophomores Josie Earnest and Ashley Belden and freshmen Ellen Morrison and Amanda Halter.
The tournament gets underway Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the Holiday Bowl in Bessemer. There will be five team games Saturday and five more team games Sunday beginning at 8:00 a.m.
The field includes the following: host Alabama A & M; Alabama State, Arkansas State, Bethune Cookman, Central Missouri, Delaware State, Florida A & M, Fontbonne, Maryland Eastern Shore, Minnesota State, Nebraska, Sacred Heart, South Carolina State, Winston Salem State and Vanderbilt.