Phoenix women host WBI basketball tourney March 20

Elon's women's hoops team makes its second appearance in NCAA Div. I post-season play with a game against Eastern Kentucky.

Kelsey Evans drives to the basket in SoCon Tournament play against Davidson.

After an impressive 18-13 season that included program-best 14-6 record in the Southern Conference and an appearance in the conference tournament semifinals, the Elon women’s basketball team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2013 Women’s Basketball Invitational.

Fourth-seeded Elon will host fifth-seeded Eastern Kentucky in the first round of the WBI on Wednesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym. If the Phoenix advances, the quarterfinals will take place on March 23 or 24.

This marks Elon’s second appearance in the WBI after making its first Division I post-season appearance in the tournament in 2011. Elon was given a No. 3 seed and a first-round home matchup against sixth-seeded USC Upstate. The maroon and gold claimed a 103-72 win over the Spartans before falling to eventual WBI champion UAB in the quarterfinals.

The WBI is a 16-team, single elimination tournament that was created in 2010 to address additional post-season opportunities for women’s college teams who did not make the NCAA tournament field. The WBI tournament bracket is an East/West format with each side seeded 1-8. The semifinals, or third round, will be played March 27/28 with the 2013 WBI Championship game set for March 30 or 31.

Tickets for Wednesday’s game can be purchased through the Elon Ticket Office at elonphoenix.com or over the phone at 336-278-6750.

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by Dan Anderson, Staff Last Updated - 3/19/2013

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Fans follow the Phoenix through championship journey

Dozens of Elon fans came to Asheville to cheer on the men’s and women’s basketball teams as they advanced to the SoCon tournament semifinals.

Nancy Zarin (center)

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The games had not started but the Elon fans who gathered at Scully’s in downtown Asheville, N.C., Saturday afternoon were already chanting.

“We are going to win,” said Wes Elingburg, chair of the Elon University Board of Trustees who together with wife, Cathy, made the trip to support the men’s basketball team as they took on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. “It’s going to be a tough game tonight but I do think we’re going to prevail.”

He was not disappointed.

The Phoenix defeated the Spartans 68-61 in a close match at the U.S. Cellular Center while the women’s team defeated Samford 70-60 at Kimmel Arena in nearby UNC-Asheville campus.

Like the Elingburgs, dozens of Elon students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends made the trip to cheer on both teams as they make their way to the Southern Conference Tournament finals.

President Emeritus Earl Danieley

The Elon section at the men's game could not have been complete without President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley who, in true fashion, waved his towel as fans chanted his name during the second half.

Sitting nearby was Nancy Zarin, an adjunct instructor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, who said she didn’t follow sports before she came to Elon in 2009. But after getting guard Sebastian Koch and forward Autumn Carter in her classes, she has become a consummate Phoenix fan.

“We didn’t miss a single (home) game for the men” this season, she said with a smile. She couldn’t stay for the weekend but hopes to watch from home the Phoenix in the championship game Monday night.

While that may be getting a bit ahead, most fans feel this could be the year when the Phoenix get a chance to compete in the NCAA tournament.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Wes Elingburg said. “I really think we are on the verge of doing something special.”

Amy Hendrickson '69 (center)

Amy Hendrickson ’69, who considers herself to be one of the top 10 Elon fans, has followed the basketball program at Elon for years. She said the program is definitely moving in the right direction.

“It’s been a dream season,” she said. “Every game, I’ve seen the players get closer and play more like a team.”

So what advice does she give the team this weekend?

“If you want it, go get it.”

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by Keren Rivas, Staff Last Updated - 3/9/2013

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Keep up with the Phoenix during the SoCon basketball tourneys

Show your Elon pride as the Phoenix basketball teams compete in the 2013 Southern Conference Basketball Championships March 8-11 in Asheville, N.C.

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Whether you plan to support the Elon men's and women's basketball teams during the SoCon tournaments by watching the games at home or coming to Asheville, N.C., we have you covered.

Saturday, March 9

Kick off your tournament with The Phoenix Club and Elon Alumni Association at Scully's Bar & Grille (13 Walnut Street, Asheville) at 4 p.m.At 6 p.m., the North Division Champion men’s team play their first game at U.S. Cellular Center (87 Haywood Street, Asheville), facing off against the winner of No. 7 Chattanooga / No. 10 UNC-G game.At 6:45 p.m., the women’s team enter their first contest at UNC-Asheville’s Kimmel Arena, playing the winner of the No. 6 Samford / No. 11 Wofford game.

Details for other pre-game socials will be released as tournament outcomes are determined.

To purchase tickets, contact the Elon Ticket Office at (336) 278-6750. Tickets are $18 per single session for general admission, plus a $3 processing fee per order. There is no limit to the number of tickets you may order.

ESPN3 will cover the men’s opening round on Friday, as well as Saturday’s quarterfinals and Sunday’s semifinals. Monday’s championship game will tip off at 7 p.m. and be aired on ESPN2.

Coverage of the women’s semifinals on Sunday and the championship game on Monday at 3 p.m. will air on ESPN3.

For more information, visit the Southern Conference page. Brackets for the men's tournament and the women's tournament provide more information on game times, media coverage and game locations.

You can also keep up with the Phoenix teams by checking the Elon Alumni Association Facebook page and Twitter feed. Don't forget to stay in touch on Twitter and Instagram by using the #elonphoenix hashtag.

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by Megan McClure, Staff Last Updated - 3/5/2013

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'Night of the Phoenix' raises scholarship funds

More than $155,000 was collected for student-athlete scholarships in February at the sixth annual event.

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Elon University’s "Night of the Phoenix" fundraising event in February raised more than $155,000 for student-athlete scholarships.

The annual event, now in its sixth year, continues to exceed the previous year’s event record. The Night of the Phoenix has now raised almost $600,000 in annual scholarship support for the Phoenix Club. The Phoenix Club Advisory Board and Elon’s Department of Athletics coordinates the event.

“I’m excited about the success of this year’s event,” said Mike Cross, Phoenix Club Advisory Board Chair. “This is always a night people look forward to and the support from alumni, parents and the rest of the Elon community is tremendous. I look forward to continuing this annual tradition for many years to come.”

The Feb. 22 program began with a cocktail hour and silent auction that featured nearly 200 items. Some of the auction items included sports memorabilia, numerous Elon items, a weeklong vacation with airfare to Hawaii, numerous mountain and beach home trips and Miami Heat playoff tickets.

After dinner, trustee Zac Walker III '60 and his wife, Dot, were presented with Elon Medallions from university President Leo M. Lambert in appreciation for their devotion and generous support to Phoenix athletics, scholarships and campus facilities. Elon medallions are awarded every year in recognition of individuals who have contributed outstanding service to Elon over the course of many years.

Elon Director of Athletics Dave Blank then offered his opening remarks and introduced senior football player Blake Thompson, who shared his thoughts and experiences on being an Elon student-athlete.

Following Thompson’s comments and a video featuring women’s basketball’s Kelsey Evans and Ali Ford and football’s Olufemi Lamikanra, auctioneer Matt Holiday encouraged attendees to "Stand Up for the Phoenix."

“What a fantastic night for Elon University Athletics,” Blank said. “It was great to see so many community members come together to support the education and experiences of our student-athletes. Witnessing this community’s generosity is always incredible. We are so grateful for all of their support and involvement. We also appreciate the hard work and effort from the Phoenix Club Advisory Board that helps make this event a success.”

The evening’s entertainment was provided by comedian Tom Cotter, who recently became the first comedian to ever reach the finals of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent." Cotter has also become a familiar face on television shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, The Today Show and his own series TWO-FUNNY.

Cross ended the evening by sharing the final number raised with the event’s attendees, which was received with a huge round of applause from everyone in Alumni Gym.

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by Eric Townsend, Staff Last Updated - 3/7/2013

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