UTC's Queen Alford (10) works to drive past UConn's Napheesa Collier (24) in a game from last season. Alford, a redshirt Senior, will return to lead the Mocs as they take part in the 2016 Naismith Hall of Fame Tournament this November.
photo by Dennis Norwood/File Photo
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball team will take part in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame fourth annual Women’s Challenge this fall. The NCAA women’s exempt tournament sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will take place Sunday, November 27 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., with campus round games leading up to the main event.
Teams scheduled to participate in this year’s Women’s Challenge tournament are: Bowling Green (Mid-American), Hampton (MEAC), Lafayette College (Patriot League), Louisville (Atlantic Coast), Maine (America East), South Carolina (Southeastern), St. Peter's (MAAC) and Chattanooga (Southern).
“We are pleased to be hosting the fourth annual Women’s Challenge as we graciously welcome these programs to Springfield, the birthplace of basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We appreciate the hospitality of our local partners and the MassMutual Center in making this a fantastic event for these teams and their fans.”
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will continue to serve as the host conference for the annual event. The MAAC has developed a strong partnership with the Basketball Hall of Fame, including the addition of a MAAC exhibit in the Hall of Fame museum in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Mocs are slated to play in Louisville, Ky., from November 19-21. UTC will take on Lafayette College on Saturday, November 19. The following day, Chattanooga will face Bowling Green and wrap up the three-day event with host Louisville.
In the main event on Sunday, November 27, the Mocs will take on Maine.
“This provides a great opportunity to play a cross section of teams who could not or would not ordinarily schedule with us,” Chattanooga head coach Jim Foster said. “We appreciate the Hall of Fame providing this opportunity for our team to get four great games.”
South Carolina will serve as the host for the other campus round site from November 20-22.
Game times, broadcast and ticket information for the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge will be released at a later date viawww.hoophall.com/womenschallenge.
The Mocs full schedule will be released at a later time. Call the McKenzie Arena box office or log onto GoMocs.com for more ticket information.
All proceeds from the Women’s Challenge will benefit the non-profit Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge Schedule
Campus Round Schedule:
Hosted at University of Louisville
November 19
University of Louisville vs. Bowling Green State University
Lafayette College vs. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
November 20
University of Louisville vs. Lafayette College
Bowling Green State University vs. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
November 21
University of Louisville vs. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Bowling Green State University vs. Lafayette College
Hosted at University of South Carolina
November 20
Hampton University vs. University of South Carolina
St. Peter's University vs. University of Maine
November 21
University of South Carolina vs. University of Maine
Hampton University vs. St. Peter's University
November 22
University of South Carolina vs. St. Peter's University
University of Maine vs. Hampton University
Sunday, November 27 at MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass.
Hampton University vs. Lafayette College
St. Peter's University vs. Bowling Green State University
University of Maine vs. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of South Carolina vs. University of Louisville
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
The MAAC, headquartered in Edison, N.J., consists of 11 member institutions: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University and Siena College. For more on the conference, please visit www.maacsports.com.
For more information:
Visit us on the web: www.hoophall.com
… on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BBHOF
… on Twitter/Instagram: @hoophall #WomensChallenge