6/25/99

Greene County Awarded SAC Fall Festival; Tusculum College to Host Inaugural Championships

GREENEVILLE -- The South Atlantic Conference has awarded Greene County the league's Fall Sports Festival for the years 2000-2002, announced officials at a press conference Friday morning at the General Morgan Inn. The inaugural festival will be held October 26-28, 2000 on the campus of Tusculum College.

"Athletes from the nine colleges in the conference, which includes Tusculum College, will come to Greene County to participate in three days of competitive sports, including volleyball, golf, soccer and cross-country," said SAC Commissioner Doug Echols. "Our conference athletics directors were very impressed with Greeneville's interest in the festival, and the aggressiveness of the presentation. There's no doubt in any of our minds that, with the support of the Partnership combined with the community's experience in hosting events like the Greene County Bank Ladies Classic, the SAC had made the right decision in awarding this bid to Greeneville. We were also very impressed with the Tusculum College's athletics facilities that are currently available, as well as the venues that will be in place by the scheduled date of the first festival."

The Festival will bring over 600 student-athletes from the league schools, with conference championships being decided in men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country and women's volleyball. A men's and women's golf tournament will also be held in conjunction with the event.

"This first endeavor of the Greene County Partnership's Sports Council is a major achievement for our community," said Council Chairman David Hawk.

"The economy of the community can expect a tremendous boost with the arrival of athletes from nine schools, as well as their accompanying entourage of spectators which, alone, averages approximately 500 individuals. The conference estimates more than 300 rooms will be needed per night for the three-day event."

Mark Williams, chairman of the Sports Council Host Committee explained,"When members of our committee attended the SAC Spring Festival in Salisbury, N.C. this past April, we realized what a major economic benefit this type of event could be for our community. In early June, we invited Commissioner Echols and the athletics directors of the conference to Greeneville to hear a presentation on Greene County's capabilities of hosting the event. Our committee was well prepared and made an excellent presentation."

Ed Hoffmeyer, Tusculum College Director of Athletics and a member of the Host Committee, complemented the Partnership for the part it has played in acquiring the event for the community. "The Partnership and its staff have played a major role in bringing this outstanding event to Greene County. Representatives of the organization have put forth a tremendously aggressive effort, have been very sensitive to detail, and have demonstrated their knowledge of putting on such an event. While the event will have economic benefits for the community, it will also be an opportunity to showcase Tusculum College."

Members of the Host Committee are Mark Williams, Ed Hoffmeyer, David Hawk, Bob Dibble, Mark Easterly, Bill Adams, Buddy Yonz, Scott Niswonger, Wayne Phillips, Satish Hira, Joe Vogt, Tom Ferguson and Tammy Kinser.

According to Kinser, the Greene County Partnership Tourism Director, "We are extremely fortunate to have attracted such a quality event in Greeneville and Greene County. Late October is a typically slow time for the local lodging industry. This will not only be a boost for the industry, but will also generate additional retail sales for the region."

The South Atlantic Conference is a group of nine church-related colleges of similar size and athletic philosophy. Entering its 11th year as a comprehensive sports conference and ninth as a member of the NCAA Division II, the league continues to grow as one of the premier small-college athletic conferences in the nation. League membership now includes Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn.; Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.; Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C.; Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C.; Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, N.C.; Newberry College in Newberry, S.C.; Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C.; Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn.; and Wingate University in Wingate, N.C.