The Ashland University Women's Basketball team will be returning to campus on Saturday night (March 24) and students, faculty, staff, media and community members are invited to "Welcome Home" the team and coaches. This gathering will now be in the area near the turnaround behind the Student Center and in front of the doors to Kates Gymnasium.
The team will fly into the Cleveland Airport at 9:35 p.m. so it is estimated that they will arrive on campus between 11 and 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. The City of Ashland emergency vehicles will escort the charter bus through the center of town and up Claremont Avenue. The escort will turn left on the service road behind the Student Center and allow the team members and coaches to exit the bus in the turnaround near the front doors to Kates Gymnasium.
And don't forget, on Tuesday, March 27, the Athletic Department is sponsoring an "Eagle Nation Celebration" at 7 p.m. in Kates Gymnasium. This event is free and open to the public and will allow everyone to honor the Ashland University women's basketball team and coaches as well as all of the student-athletes who have attained All-America honors during the winter sports season. This event will last about an hour.
In addition to the women's basketball team, the school will recognize some of the student-athletes who have helped make this one of the most successful winter sports seasons in school history. Track and field's Ryan Loughney (Grahamsville, N.Y./Tri-Valley) won his second consecutive national title indoors and swimming's Julie Widmann (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) won the first individual national championship of her career. Student-athletes also will be recognized from wrestling and men's basketball.
The Kates Gymnasium concession stand will be open during the "Eagle Nation Celebration" and the Ashland University Bookstore will have merchandise to sell.
