Feb. 19, 2009

Bethlehem, Pa.--Representatives from the Patriot League, Lehigh University, Lafayette College, St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network and the Bethlehem Area School District, as well as Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan and Easton Mayor Sal Panto, joined forces on Thursday for an announcement regarding the 2009 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament. The announcement was made Thursday morning at Hotel Bethlehem.

The various entities detailed the partnership between St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network, Lehigh University, the Bethlehem Area School District and the Patriot League for the upcoming tournament. The tournament quarterfinals and semifinals will be held at Lehigh University, with the championship taking place at the site of the highest remaining seed. In addition, Callahan and Panto were on hand to declare Saturday, March 7, the first day of the tournament, to be Patriot League Women's Basketball Day.

"We are proud to be the host community for this exciting event and look forward to welcoming visitors from across the mid-Atlantic to Bethlehem," Callahand said.

"This is a tremendous event," Panto said. "What is good for Bethlehem is good for Easton, and what is good for Easton is good for Bethlehem. We are excited to be a part of the Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament."

St. Luke's will serve as a partner for this year's event. During the opening day of the tournament, St. Luke's will sponsor various health stations throughout Stabler Arena for fans to experience, one of many ways St. Luke's will be visible throughout the tournament.

"St. Luke's and Lehigh University each have a long tradition and proven record of community service," said Sue Schantz, Vice President of Corporate Communications for St. Luke's. "By combining our resources and expertise, we are able to provide what we hope will be a meaningful and long-lasting learning experience for these students outside the traditional classroom."

"We are all very excited that St. Luke's is sponsoring this year's Patriot League Tournament," said Lehigh Head Coach Sue Troyan. "Along with the involvement of the Bethlehem Area School District, this is going to be a wonderful event to showcase the Patriot League and its student-athletes, along with the city of Bethlehem. We hope that many people from the area will come out to experience it."

More than 400 students from area middle schools will be attending the tournament in March. Students from Nitschmann Middle School were on-hand at Thursday's press conference as Assistant Principal Tim Lynch commended the Patriot League and its institutions for the dedication to producing quality scholar-athletes.

"We are very pleased that Lehigh University will serve as host for the 2009 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament," said Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich. "We are confident that Lehigh and the city of Bethlehem will be excellent hosts. The Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament will showcase the best that college athletics have to offer as our scholar-athletes perform at the highest levels, both in the arena and in the classroom. We are proud of what the Patriot League represents, and I know that this will be an outstanding experience for the League and the surrounding communities."

2009 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament