FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC TO ESTABLISH MEN’S, WOMEN'S

BASKETBALL PROGRAMS THIS FALL

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Club Sports will be coming to Danville Community College this fall. Members of the Steering Committee met recently to finalize plans. Pictured, left to right, are: Martha Walker, Mabel Scott, Howard Graves, Don Thompson,  Sylvesta Jennings, Harry Johnson, Pete Castiglione, John Bailey, Pat Daly, Andrea Burney, and DCC President Carlyle Ramsey.

            DANVILLE, VA., June 7, 2004 – Building on the success of its baseball club sport, Danville

 Community College will soon add two new club sports – Men’s and Women’s basketball team programs. With the assistance of the DCC Educational Foundation and other private donors, the college will begin an inaugural season this fall.

            “Studies indicate that students who are involved in extracurricular activities are more likely to be retained and graduate,” said Dr. Carlyle Ramsey, DCC President. “Our success with baseball has shown us that there is an interest in pursuing other club sports.”

            Ramsey said that surveys of students indicate the interest in both male and female sports programs. More than 45% of those surveyed indicated an interest participating and support the basketball program. Currently, DCC has more than 4,000 students each semester, with approximately 60% of the student body female.

            “DCC’s mission is to serve the needs of the community,” Ramsey continued. “We are happy that we can find a variety of ways to accomplish one of our twin goals of expanding access to education. As we have seen from the baseball team, we believe basketball will add additional excitement to the campus climate.”

            Ramsey added that one of the first steps will be to hire coaches for both teams. Advertisements for the head coaching positions (part-time positions) began appearing in local newspapers last weekend. In addition to coaching, the incumbents will assist in college recruiting, coordinate schedules, and manage all records and data. The screening of applications will begin on June 18, and continue until the positions are filled.

            Some 12-15 students will be recruited for each team. To be eligible, players must be DCC students enrolled in a program of study, and taking at least six credits per semester. There are also academic requirements each semester to maintain eligibility with the team. The teams will play other Virginia Community College teams, as well as other local and area schools.

            The baseball club sport was established in 2001. In its first season the team won the VCCS Conference Championship, and was first runner up the past two seasons. Ramsey noted that like the baseball program, the basketball programs have steering committees that will be looking to community resources to support the teams. Members of the DCC Basketball Steering Committee include: Pat Daly, John Bailey, John Cannon, Ed Fitzgerald IV, Renee Hughes, Sylvesta Jennings, Harry Johnson, Ed Owens, Mabel Scott, Wayne Shelton, Lucille Hairston, Dr. Thomas Johnson, Don Thompson, and college resources, Dr. Carlyle Ramsey, Martha Walker, Pete Castiglione, Howard Graves, and Andrea Burney.

            For more information about the DCC Club Sport basketball programs, contact Pete Castiglione, Director of Student Development and Enrollment Management at (434) 797-8490, or toll free at (800) 560-4291, ext. 8490. To make a contribution in support of the basketball program, contact Martha Walker, Director of Institutional Advancement, at (434) 797-8437, or mail to: DCC Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 316, Danville, VA 24543.