The 2013 edition of the New Haven Open at Yale tennis tournament may still be six months away, but tournament director Anne Worcester already has her first two Top 10 players locked into the field.
Angelique Kerber, ranked No. 6 by the WTA, along with No. 8 Sara Errani, have committed to play in the New Haven Open, scheduled for August 16-24 at the Connecticut Tennis Center. The player announcement was to kickstart ticket sales – which go on sale today — for the tournament.
“It’s exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten two Top 10 players to commit so early,” Worcester said. “That’s how I felt when I got the phone calls. We did such a good job making these players feel so strong about our event that they wanted to come here.”
For the first time in the tournament’s history, all of the seating will be within the lower bowl, now called the “Box Ring” with ticket prices starting at $24. Along with individual tickets, there are several ticket packages available, including “After Hours” which is a ticket to each night session, along with a ticket to the finals on August 24. “The Weekender” is a ticket plan for the semifinals and finals and the “Pick 4 Flex” allows ticket buyers to select any four sessions (1-9) from August 18 through August 24.
“We spent the winter looking at everything we do,” Worcester said. “And we knew that we had to be more realistic with who and what we are. So we looked at all the ways we could increase the buzz and create more energy in the stadium.”
The box ring seats 5,500 and Worcester is hoping to have a “packed house” kind of atmosphere as many times as she can get through this new seating arrangement.
Kerber, 25, reached the 2011 U.S. Open semifinals and in 2012, won WTA titles in Paris (beating Marion Bartoli) and Copenhagen (beating Caroline Wozniacki) while also reaching the finals in Cincinnati and Eastbourne. So far in 2013, she’s reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, the quarters at Brisbane and the semifinals in Sydney. This will be her first trip to New Haven.
Errani, 25, reached the finals of the French Open, the semis at the U.S. Open and quarters at the Australian Open in 2012, along with winning four WTA titles. So far in 2013, Errani has won in Dubai (beating Petra Kvitova) and in Acapulco. This will be her seventh appearance at the Connecticut Tennis Center.
Log on to www.newhavenopen.com or call 1-855-464-8366 for more information on tickets.
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No. 6 Kerber, No.8 Errani commit to New Haven Open at Yale
Fairfield to play Louisville in the Hall of Fame tipoff
The Mohegan Sun just announced this:
Mohegan Sun to host Tip-Off Tournament November 23rd and 24th
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the field of teams and brackets for the 2013 Tip-Off Tournament. The annual NCAA men’s exempt tournament sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will take place on Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut highlighted by eight schools in two four-team brackets.
Teams scheduled to participate in this year’s Tip-Off tournament are: University of North Carolina (ACC), University of Louisville (Big East), University of Richmond (A10), Fairfield University (MAAC), Belmont University (Ohio Valley Conference), Hofstra University (CAA), Holy Cross (Patriot League) and University of Hartford (America East).
“Once again this year’s Tip-Off Tournament showcases some of the nation’s best college basketball programs,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are excited to host the tournament again at the Mohegan Sun, and we are looking forward to seeing the great match-ups in November.”
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will once again serve as the host conference for the annual event. The MAAC will host the men’s and women’s basketball championships at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA this March and has developed a strong partnership with the Basketball Hall of Fame, including the opening of a MAAC exhibit in the Hall of Fame museum.
Tickets for the 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun Arena will go on sale in the near future. For more information on the event, log on to halloffametipoff.com.
Springfield Bracket
Belmont University
University of Hartford
Hofstra University
Holy Cross
Naismith Bracket
Fairfield University
University of Louisville
University of North Carolina
University of Richmond
Tip-Off Tournament Schedule
Campus Round Schedule
November 11 – Belmont University at University of Richmond
November 12 – Hofstra University at University of Louisville
November 13 – University of Hartford at Fairfield University
November 15 – Holy Cross at University of North Carolina
November 17 – Belmont University at University of North Carolina
November 19 – University of Hartford at University of Louisville
November 19 – Hofstra University at University of Richmond
November 20 – Holy Cross at Fairfield University
Saturday November 23 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT (Game Times TBA)
Naismith Bracket -
University of Richmond vs. University of North Carolina
Fairfield University vs. University of Louisville
Springfield Bracket -
University of Hartford vs. Hofstra University
Holy Cross vs. Belmont University
Sunday November 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT (Game Times TBA)
Consolation and Championship Rounds Springfield and Naismith Brackets
For more information on the Hall of Fame Tip-Off, ticket packages, hospitality packages for the weekend games and campus site schedule, log onto halloffametipoff.com.
SHU hockey finally gets that first win
Finally! It finally happened.
The Sacred Heart men’s hockey team skated off the ice with a victory.
After 28 games without a win, the Pioneers exploded away from a 3-3 tie with four third period goals to beat Holy Cross 7-3 on Tuesday night at the Milford Ice Pavilion.
SHU is now 1-26-2.
During the losing streak (and before Tuesday night’s win), I spoke with Pioneers head coach C.J. Marottolo about staying positive.
“We’ve done a lot of different things. We’ve changed lines. We’ve changed forechecks. We’ve kind of run the gamut of trying to tweak our system to put us in the best possible position to win,” Marottolo said. “And we will get one. I think we’re all believers that whenever we get that first taste, we could be a dangerous team in the playoffs.
“Once we get a little bit of confidence, I know it can be contagious.
“No question, it’s tested all of us. You still have to be hard in them so we try to keep improving. Keeping it fun, that’s been my biggest job for me and my staff. We want the guys to come in and, no matter what our record is, to enjoy coming to the rink every day. We just have to keep coming with a positive attitude and work hard and control what we can control. That’s all we can do.”
What’s a little pre-game pat on the rump between friends?
First of all, don’t believe everything you see.
The Associated Press circulated a photo of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma allegedly tapping Baylor head women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey on the backside before the No. 3 Huskies showdown with the No. 1 Bears – a game Baylor won 76-70 Monday night at the XL Center. And while Auriemma admitted to tapping Mulkey’s rump, he claims she started it by staring at his backside.
“She was staring at my butt and she was commenting on it and I said, ‘Really? How about yours?’ and she went, ‘Yeah, look at it,’ and I went (slap), I’ll teach you a lesson,” Auriemma said, jokingly. ‘And then she started talking about how she only dated Italians her whole life and that she wanted me to set her up with some Italians and I said ‘The Italians I send to see you aren’t going to date you.’ We’ve had a long and great relationship since, gosh, she was an assistant at Louisiana Tech. It goes back a long ways.”
“She’s just a big pain in the butt. That’s all there is to it.”
Mulkey was – thankfully — not available for comment.
Fairfield-Manhattan BB game postponed until tomorrow
This from Fairfield University Sports Information Director Jack Jones:
Tonight’s Fairfield University-Manhattan College game has been postponed to Tuesday, February 12, due to the clean up which follows the major snowstorm that hit the state of Connecticut last weekend. The game will be played at Alumni Hall with game time slated for 7 pm.
The Hall Neighborhood House needs help
The Hall Neighborhood House needs some help. Here’s my story…
UB moves basketball games vs. Molloy to Sunday
Thus just released by Chuck Sadowski, SID extraordinaire, with the University of Bridgeport:
Due to the impending winter storm, this Saturday’s (February 9, 2013) University of Bridgeport home basketball doubleheader versus Molloy College has been moved to Sunday, February 10, 2013.
Game times will remain the same with the women taking the court first at 1 p.m. followed be the men’s game at approximately 3 p.m.
Sunday will also be “Donate Life” as all proceeds from the day (all tickets sales and a variety of raffles) will be donated to the Donate Life Connecticut organization to help raise awareness about organ and tissue donations to help save lives.
Stags to face Albany in ESPN Bracket Buster
Just a couple of tidbits from the local college basketball scene. The Fairfield University men’s basketball team found out its ESPN Bracket Buster opponent Tuesday afternoon and its Albany from the America East.
The Stags (14-10) winner of four straight, meet the Great Danes on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. at the Webster Bank Arena. Albany is 17-7 overall.
The Stags final non-conference game of the season comes at the end of a five-game home stand that sees Fairfield face off against St. Peter’s on Thursday, Manhattan on Saturday, Siena on Feb. 14 and Iona on Feb. 18 before the Great Danes come to town.
With seven regular season games left, along with the upcoming MAAC tournament in Springfield, Mass., Fairfield has a solid chance to post its fourth straight 20-plus win season, a feat never before accomplished in the history of the program.
Last season, Fairfield finished with a 22-15 record, reached the finals of the MAAC tournament and advanced into the semifinals of the CollegeInsider.com tournament . In 2010-11, Fairfield went 25-8 and reached the second round of the NIT. In 2009-10, the Stags posted a 23-11 mark and advanced into the second round of the CIT.
Previous Bracket Buster games
2011-12 — @Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Lost 67-63
2010-11 – Austin Peay, Won 76-69
2009-10 — @Vermont, Lost 77-67
2008-09 – Hofstra, Lost 61-56
2007-08 — @Drexel, Won 60-51
2006-07 – William & Mary, Won 61-45
2005-06 — @Chicago-Loyola, Lost 73-70
2004-05 – Cal-State Northridge, Lost 68-65
In other news, junior forward Mo Barrow was named the co-MAAC Player of the Week along with Iona’s David Laury. Barrow posted 10 points and eight rebounds, going 5 of 9 from the floor in 30 minutes off the bench in a win at St. Peter’s and then netted a career-high 25 points, shooting 8 of 13, and added 10 rebounds in 37 minutes off the bench as the Stags topped Rider.
For the season, Barrow is averaging 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game overall and 11.4 points with 5.3 rebounds in the MAAC.
In case you missed it, here’s my column that ran in Monday’s Connecticut Post on Barrow.
