[1]Dick Vitale Clay Court Classic Returns To Lakewood Ranch.
The 2011 Dick Vitale Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic returns to the Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club from November 11th-13th, 2011. This is the only clay court college tournament in the nation and the only event of its kind that brings men’s and women’s teams in for one event.
New this year, Lakewood Ranch resident and ESPN sportscaster Dick Vitale adds his name to the tournament. “This event is going to feature some of the greatest players on the collegiate level,” Vitale said. “Lakewood Ranch is blessed to have teams like these, all coming here. I would encourage anyone who wants to get involved to sponsor the tournament with a banner that will hang at all the weekend events – including the party at my house. I’ll be here to introduce the players and it’s gonna be awesome baby with a capital A!”
Admission to the tournament will be free and open to the public but donations will be taken for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. For more information on the V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org [2].
The best college players in the country will battle it out in three days of competition. Women’s teams include Oklahoma St., Mississippi St., Miami, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Baylor, Northwestern and Clemson. Men’s teams include Arizona, Pepperdine, Minnesota, Miami, Florida, Ole Miss., Virginia, Alabama, and Duke “We have a waiting list for college teams that want to enter this tournament,” said Paul Lederman, Lakewood Ranch’s director of athletics. “It’s a huge win for our area, and has become a huge event in the collegiate tennis world after our successful inaugural event in 2010. We plan to bring this back every year.”
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