OVERLAND PARK, KS (March 21, 2012) – Local sports marketing firm Premier Sports Management will be in New Orleans March 29-April 2 at the 2012 NCAA Final Four, coordinating a series of events and sponsor promotions in addition to a national television segment on CBS during college basketball’s biggest showcase.

As the property rights holder and program manager for the Senior CLASS Award®, Premier staff members will host 10 of the nation’s most outstanding senior basketball players while working with title sponsor Lowe’s, the NCAA and media partners CBS and Turner.  Premier Sports will coordinate activities with the award finalists throughout the five-day period, including a community service project, autograph sessions, hospitality functions and the NCAA Dribble, a major event that involves several thousand youth dribbling basketballs throughout the streets of downtown New Orleans. The announcement of the award winner will be made March 30 during Final Four Friday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Premier will also oversee the production of a three-minute Senior CLASS Award broadcast presentation that will announce the award winner. The segment will air during the Bridge Show on CBS between the two semifinal games on Saturday, March 31.  Finalists include North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller, Michigan State’s Draymond Green and Purdue’s Robbie Hummel.

The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in 10 NCAA Division I sports. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.

In addition to working with Lowe’s to activate its NCAA corporate sponsorship, Premier Sports will assist the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) with its National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame activities during the Final Four. The recently announced Hall of Fame Class of 2012 includes Patrick Ewing of Georgetown, Phil Ford of North Carolina and Clyde Lovellette of Kansas. During the Final Four, the inductees will be introduced during the national semifinal games March 31 and again during the NABC’s annual “Guardians of the Game” Awards Show on April 1.

“The NCAA Final Four is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and Premier Sports is thrilled to play a key role with several of the significant sports organizations, sponsors and celebrities,” said Gary Heise, President of Premier Sports Management. “Our work will reach not only the thousands of fans attending Final Four Weekend in New Orleans, but also millions of fans engaging through television and digital platforms.”

ABOUT PREMIER SPORTS MANAGEMENT
Premier Sports Management is a national sports marketing and event management company headquartered in the metropolitan Kansas City area. For two decades, the firm has partnered with sports organizations and corporations across the country in strategizing, developing and implementing a wide variety of sports programs and events. Premier has worked with major sports properties such as the National Football League, the NCAA, Major League Soccer and National Association of Basketball Coaches, as well as major corporate sponsors such as Lowe’s and Gatorade. The company also has partnered with broadcast networks such as CBS, Turner and ESPN with content and sponsor activation.

CONTACT
Laurie Bollig
Premier Sports Management
Office: 913/563-5417
Mobile: 913/707-0365
lbollig@premiersportsonline.com

The Class of 2012 will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Sunday, November 18, 2012, at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City as part of a three-day celebration of college basketball. The hall of fame is located in the College Basketball Experience, a world-class entertainment facility that provides a multi-faceted interactive experience for fans of the game. On November 19-20, Kansas, Saint Louis, Texas A&M and Washington State will compete at Sprint Center in the CBE Classic.

A three-time consensus first team All-America, Ewing dominated during his career at Georgetown. The seven-foot center led Hall of Fame coach John Thompson’s team to three NCAA championship games, including a national title with an 84-75 win over Houston in New Orleans in 1984. He is the all-time leader in blocked shots (493/3.45pg), rebounds (1,316/9.2pg) and games played (143) for Georgetown.

Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phog Allen at Kansas, Lovellette was the first player to win championships in the NCAA, AAU, NBA and Olympic Games. The 6-9 center was a three-time All-America selection for the Jayhawks and led the Big 7 Conference in scoring in each of his three seasons. He was the nation’s top scorer in 1952 with 28.6 points per game and was the Most Outstanding Player in the 1952 NCAA Tournament.

The first freshman to start the first game of his North Carolina career under Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith, Ford led UNC to the 1975 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship and was the first freshman in ACC history to win the Everett Case Award as the most valuable player in the ACC Tournament. Carolina won 99 of 124 games with Ford, reached the NCAA tournament every year and advanced to the NCAA championship game in 1977.  He scored 2,290 career points, was a first team All-ACC and All-America selection for his final three seasons and, as a senior, won the Wooden Award and was the consensus National Player of the Year.

One of college basketball’s most spectacular backcourt performers, Monroe starred for Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines at Winston-Salem State. His ball handling and shooting skills dazzled crowds as he led Winston-Salem to the NCAA Division II championship in 1967, averaging an incredible 41.5 points per game and was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year.

An outstanding power forward for Grambling, Reed led the Tigers to three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and three national championship tournaments in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, including a first-place finish his sophomore season in 1961. As a senior, Reed averaged 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds for Grambling.

Credited with introducing the jump shot, Sailors was a four-year letterman at Wyoming. He led the Cowboys to the 1943 NCAA championship and earned most valuable player honors in the NCAA. Following his standout 1943 season, Sailors enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps to serve in World War II. He returned to Wyoming in 1945-46, once again earning all-conference and All-America honors.

As a Kentucky assistant coach in 1972, Hall had the unenviable task of succeeding Adolph Rupp. Unfazed by the task, Hall guided the Wildcats for 13 seasons, winning 75 percent of 397 games.  Within three years, he reached the NCAA championship game and, in 1978, he earned National Coach of the Year honors while coaching Kentucky to its fifth national title with a 30-2 record. His Wildcat teams won eight SEC championships and earned a Final Four berth for the third time in 1984. He was named SEC Coach of the Year four times.

As the first white coach in the history of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), which consists of historically black colleges and universities, Robbins’ ascension to collegiate coaching in 1978 drew considerable criticism. He guided the Panthers to their first NCAA Division II championship in 1980 and followed that up with two more – in 1992 and 2005. Robbins’ teams had a remarkable won-lost record of 713-194, for a winning percentage of .786 over his 30 seasons. 

Few men have influenced the game of basketball as diversely as Dean. The three-time All-SEC player at LSU was a promotions and marketing executive with the Converse Rubber Co. from 1959-1987, advocating not only the Converse products but promoting the game of basketball wherever he traveled. In addition, he was a basketball color analyst with several networks including ESPN, NBC and Turner Sports from 1969-1987 before returning to his alma mater in Baton Rouge as director of athletics for 14 years.

The founder and principal of Host Communications, Host realized the potential growth of men’s basketball and partnered the NCAA with major corporations like Gillette, Valvoline and Pizza Hut. Host, who also had a background in broadcasting, went on to create a model for multimedia rights, bundling everything from coaches’ radio and TV shows, promotional appearances, endorsements and publishing into a single package for some of the nation’s top programs. He has been recognized as one of college athletics’ most influential people. 

“The Class of 2012 has incredible roots in the game of college basketball – from the player who introduced the jump shot at Wyoming to the domination of a 7-footer at Georgetown,” said Reggie Minton, Deputy Executive Director of the NABC and chair of the Hall of Fame selection panel. “This group of coaches, players and contributors will no doubt bring back memories of national championships, all-American performances and the tremendous growth of the sport throughout the years.”

In 2006 the first class was inducted into the newly formed National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. That class included the game’s inventor, James Naismith, and possibly its greatest coach in John Wooden. Since that time, five more classes have traveled to Kansas City for a weekend of festivities. Those classes have included the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Danny Manning, Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

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MEDIA CONTACTS
Laurie Bollig, Premier Sports Management
(913) 563-5417
lbollig@premiersportsonline.com

Rick Leddy, NABC
(203) 815-2437
ricknabc@gmail.com

The 2010 season award winners will be presented with trophies at the 41st Annual NFL 101 Awards gala in Kansas City Saturday, March 5, 2011, at the Westin Crown Center.  The prestigious black-tie awards event was founded in 1969 and has evolved into what many sports insiders consider the finest awards event of its kind.

After finishing 4-12 with the Kansas City Chiefs in his first season as head coach, Todd Haley guided Kansas City to a 10-6 regular-season record in 2010 and is the AFC Coach of the Year. The six-game turnaround marked the largest in franchise history. Haley’s team, powered by the NFL’s top-ranked rushing game, won the AFC West division title and made its first playoff appearance since 2006. Mike Smith was selected as NFC Coach of the Year leading the Atlanta Falcons to 13-3 record, the NFC West crown and top seed in the playoffs. Smith was a 101 winner in 2008 after leading the Falcons to one of the biggest turnarounds in NFL history in his first year as head coach. Atlanta placed seven players on the Pro Bowl roster this season.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the AFC Offensive Player of the Year and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is the NFC Offensive Player of the Year.  This marks the second time Brady has received the award and is Vick’s first such recognition.  Brady led the league in passing this season and broke his own record for touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio. Vick is just the second player in NFL history to finish a season with at least 3,000 yards passing, 500 yards rushing and a quarterback rating of 100.0.

Clay Matthews, linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, is the NFC Defensive Player of the Year, while safety Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the AFC Defensive Player of the Year. Matthews tied for fourth in the NFL with 13.5 sacks and led a defense that finished fifth in total yards allowed per game. Polamalu spearheaded a defense ranked first in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. Despite missing significant time with an injury, Polamalu tied for second in the league with seven interceptions.

A national media committee, comprised of 101 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL, selected the winners in each award category in a nationwide vote at the conclusion of the regular season.

In addition to these award winners, the Committee of 101 announced the fourth recipient of the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football, created in 2007 to honor the life and legacy of the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Given in recognition of visionary leadership that has helped the NFL become the preeminent pro sports league in America, this year’s award winner is NFL Films. Founded in 1962 by Ed Sabol and then guided for many years by his son, Steve, NFL Films has revolutionized sports cinematography and been a major factor in the soaring popularity of professional football over the last five decades.  NFL Films has filmed, produced and sold some of the league’s most inventive and unique programming, winning 97 Emmys along the way.

“The Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football has special meaning to all of us at NFL Films because, just like Lamar Hunt with the AFL and the Chiefs, NFL Films began with one man’s vision – Ed Sabol’s,” said Steve Sabol, who will accept the award on behalf of NFL Films at the 101 Awards gala. “We are flattered and honored to be recognized for our contributions to the game of football, especially because of the name on the award.”

The awards show hosts for the evening will be NFL Network sportscaster Paul Burmeister and CBS football analyst Rich Gannon, a former NFL Most Valuable Player and two-time 101 Award winner.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Laurie Bollig, Premier Sports Management
(913) 563-5417
lbollig@premiersportsonline.com

Hy-Vee will be the presenting sponsor of the State Farm Border Showdown Football game November 27, 2010, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. In addition, Hy-Vee will sponsor both men’s basketball games – the February 7, 2011, matchup in Lawrence and the March 5, 2011, return game in Columbia. The baseball game played between the two schools April 19, 2011, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City rounds out the sponsorship.

“Hy-Vee is happy to be part of something as exciting and competitive as the KU/MU Border Showdown series. In addition to being loyal shoppers at our 25 metro area stores, our customers are also loyal to the Jayhawks and the Tigers,” said Rob Eslick, Assistant Vice President of Operations for Hy-Vee’s Southern Region. “We will have many opportunities for our customers to win exciting prizes tied to the Border Showdown throughout the season.”

The Hy-Vee sponsorship was jointly coordinated by Jayhawk Sports Marketing, an IMG College property, and Mizzou Sports Properties, a property of Learfield Sports, the multimedia rights partners of the respective universities.  Hy-Vee also recently announced its title sponsorship of the Hy-Vee Wildcat Classic basketball game between Kansas State and UNLV December 21 at the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City.

“We are very grateful for the support that Hy-Vee has shown for Mizzou Athletics, and for our storied rivalry with Kansas,” Missouri Director of Athletics Mike Alden said. “Hy-Vee is a leader in its industry and is certainly a well respected member of the community, and this partnership provides a nice fit for all parties.”

In the weeks leading up to each sponsored game, fans will have a chance to enter contests to win game tickets and various other prizes associated with the M& I Bank Border Showdown series. More information on those promotions will be announced in November.

“We appreciate Hy-Vee’s continued support of Kansas Athletics and these Border Showdown events,” said KU Interim Athletics Director Sean Lester. “Hy-Vee’s corporate partnership will provide greater exposure for these games, while at the same time helping to support all of our athletics programs.”

Hy-Vee’s sponsorship of the KU/MU M&I Bank Border Showdown series football, basketball and baseball games reinforces the company’s strong commitment to athletes at every level in Kansas City and the surrounding communities. The company has been a sponsor of the Kansas City Royals for the past 10 years and is in the second year of a long-term contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.  In addition, Hy-Vee continues to support high school athletics in the metro area through scholarships, team and individual recognition and area tournaments.

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About Hy-Vee, Inc.
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 230 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009 the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Visit the company’s website at www.hy-vee.com.

Contact
Laurie Bollig, Premier Sports Management
Office: 913/563-5417
Email: lbollig@premiersportsonline.com

The Hy-Vee Wildcat Classic will feature two teams coming off NCAA Tournament appearances in 2009-10, including a run to the Elite Eight by K-State.  A preseason Top 10 team under fourth-year coach Frank Martin, the Wildcats return five players with starting experience, including preseason All-American Jacob Pullen, from a team that won a school-record 29 games.  Under the direction of former Wildcat standout Lon Kruger, the Runnin’ Rebels could return all five starters from a team that won 25 games a year ago and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. 

“Hy-Vee is excited to partner with Kansas State to bring this premier college basketball match-up to Kansas City,” said Rob Eslick, Assistant Vice President of Operations for Hy-Vee’s Southern Region. “With more than 25 stores in the Kansas City metropolitan area, we know that our customers in the metro love college sports and are passionate in supporting their favorite teams. We look forward to seeing a lot of purple in downtown Kansas City on December 21st.”

The game will also pit Kruger, a two-time Big Eight Player of the Year and former assistant (1978-81) and head coach (1986-90), against his alma mater for the second consecutive year.  A year ago, the Wildcats knocked off the Rebels, 95-80, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

“This is a great opportunity to give our fans and alumni in the Kansas City area another chance to see us play in a world-class arena against a terrific team in UNLV,” said K-State head coach Frank Martin.  “We appreciate Hy-Vee’s sponsorship of this game in an area that is very important to the future of our university and program.” 

In the weeks leading up to the game, fans will have a chance to enter contests to win game tickets and various other prizes associated with the Hy-Vee Wildcat Classic. More information on those promotions will be announced in early November.

“We are excited to have Hy-Vee as the title sponsor of this event and appreciate their work, along with our K-State Sports Properties staff, to establish this partnership,” said Athletics Director John Currie. “This game affords us another opportunity to increase our presence and better serve our fans in the Kansas City area as well as showcase our university and men’s basketball program to not only the people of Kansas City but also a national television audience.”

Tickets for the game start at $30, while lower level seats on the sidelines are priced at $40.  The most convenient way to order tickets is online at www.k-statesports.com.  Tickets may also be purchased in person at the K-State Athletic Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum or by calling toll-free, (800) 221.CATS.

Hy-Vee’s sponsorship of the basketball game reinforces the company’s strong commitment to athletes at every level in Kansas City and the surrounding communities. The company has been a sponsor of the Kansas City Royals for the past 10 years and is in the second year of a long-term contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.  In addition, Hy-Vee continues to support high school athletics in the metro area through scholarships, team and individual recognition and area tournaments.

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About Hy-Vee, Inc.
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 230 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009 the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Visit the company’s website at www.hy-vee.com.

Contacts
Laurie Bollig, Premier Sports Management
Office: 913/563-5417
Email: lbollig@premiersportsonline.com

Tom Gilbert, Kansas State Athletics
Office: 785/532-7979
Email: tgilbert@kstatesports.com

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I baseball coaches, national media and fans, is awarded annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA® Division I baseball. The announcement and trophy presentation were made today by Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, during the NCAA College World Series® in Omaha.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The award identifies personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete, with criteria including community service, excellence in the classroom, outstanding character and competition on the field.

“Winning an award that means as much as this one is more than a dream come true. Last year, I had an opportunity to leave college and pursue my dream of playing professional baseball. When I gave it some serious thought, I decided to come back to the University of California, Irvine, and accomplish my other dream of earning my degree. I not only was able to accomplish that, but also was able to play my senior year for one of the best collegiate programs in the nation,” Bibona said. “The joy that one experiences by being a part of a team, especially a team with the kind of guys that we had, is something that can be cherished for life. John Wooden had a quote that is so perfect for my experience – ‘The main ingredient to stardom is the rest of the team.’ The camaraderie on this team was so special that I will have friendships that will last the rest of my life. This award is also theirs.

“Playing in Rosenblatt is every college baseball player’s dream. I was fortunate enough to play at Rosenblatt Stadium earlier in my collegiate career and now, in the final year of Rosenblatt, it is amazing to have the opportunity to be here to receive this honor,” Bibona continued. “I want to thank the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award once again as there are so many deserving seniors across the country.”

In addition to his conference pitcher-of-the-year and all-America honors, Bibona owns the UC Irvine record for career strikeouts. His team advanced to NCAA post-season play for the fifth straight time. Bibona is one of 30 semifinalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, recognizing the game’s top player.

“Daniel Bibona embodies all of the qualities of the ultimate student-athlete. He was an elite student and graduated with honors and has served his community in a variety of ways, including offering his time to the kids of the community and to children battling serious illness,” said UC Irvine head coach Mike Gillespie. “Daniel has been a premier athlete too. He was the No. 1 pitcher on four consecutive NCAA playoff teams, the two-time pitcher of the year in the Big West Conference, and an All-American. He has been the consummate worker, and a great teammate who is both well liked and admired by his peers, and he stood out as a leader.”

Bibona graduated this month with a degree in sociology and a 3.25 grade point average. He was the 2010 Big West Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In addition to being a regular visitor at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and coaching youth baseball, Bibona is a member of a non-profit organization called American Home Dream, which assists children with terminal illnesses.

“Baseball players have to remain focused in the summer months because their championship occurs after most students have graduated and left campus,” said Tom Lamb, Lowe’s senior vice president of marketing. “Daniel Bibona is an example of someone who continues to excel even during the pressures of final exams, graduation ceremonies and the amateur baseball draft. He’s also a great example of how student-athletes can maintain their commitment of giving back to the community.”

This marks the fourth year for the baseball division of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.  The University of Alabama’s Emeel Salem was the inaugural winner in 2007, Rice University’s Cole St. Clair was the recipient in 2008 and the University of Florida’s Brandon McArthur took home the award in 2009.

ABOUT THE AWARD
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School™, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: classroom, community, character and competition.  The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards that a senior season can bring. Sportscaster Dick Enberg, Honorary Chairman of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, first conceived the idea of an award for seniors in 2001 in response to the growing trend of men’s basketball players leaving school early for the NBA. The award program has expanded the past two years to include a total of nine NCAA® Division I sports – football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, baseball and softball in addition to men’s and women’s basketball. The award is sponsored by Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA®, and managed by Premier Sports Management.  For more information, visit www.seniorCLASSaward.com.

ABOUT LOWE’S
With fiscal year 2009 sales of $47.2 billion, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(r) 50 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,700 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

ABOUT THE NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletics opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.NCAA.org and www.NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.

2010 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
Senior All-American First Team
Name, Position, School
Daniel Bibona, Pitcher, UC Irvine
Blake Dean, First Base, LSU
Jim Klocke, Catcher/Pitcher, Southeast Missouri State
Cory Kovanda, Second Base, Ohio State
Tony Plagman, First Base, Georgia Tech

Senior All-American Second Team
Name, Position, School
Stephen Cardullo, Shortstop, Florida State
Mike Donato, Outfield, Massachusetts
Tyler Lyons, Pitcher, Oklahoma State
Matt Payton, Infield, Western Kentucky
David Towarnicky, First Base, Appalachian State

The 2010 induction ceremonies will be held on Sunday, November 21, 2010, at the College Basketball Experience (CBE) and the historic Midland Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. The CBE, a world class entertainment facility that provides a multi-faceted interactive experience for fans, shares a common lobby with Sprint Center and is the home of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Wicks helped Coach John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins to three straight NCAA championships from 1969-71. He was selected as the tournament’s most outstanding player as a junior in 1970 and earned at least one national player of the year award in each of his last two seasons.

Laettner will always be remembered for his last-minute heroics to win NCAA tournament games, but it was his consistent performance over four seasons that led the Blue Devils to four consecutive Final Four berths. Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s team won the NCAA championship in Laettner’s junior and senior seasons and he captured just about every honor possible in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the NCAA, including national player of the year in 1992.

The 2010 induction class also includes coaches Tex Winter, the innovator of the triangle offense who coached at Marquette, Kansas State, Northwestern, Washington and Long Beach State; and Davey Whitney, with more than 500 career wins in a long career at Alcorn State, including taking one of the first teams from a historically black university to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1979.

Two men whose work has been instrumental in the tremendous growth and popularity of the NCAA championship tournament, NCAA Executive Vice President Tom Jernstedt and Wayne Duke, former commissioner of the Big Eight and Big Ten conferences, will be inducted as contributors. Over his 38 years with the NCAA, Jernstedt has held a variety of positions, but really left his mark on men’s basketball, nurturing the tournament and Final Four into one of the greatest events in all of sports. Duke was the NCAA’s assistant executive director for 11 years before spending eight with the Big Eight and 18 with the Big Ten. He was chair of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee for four years and championed allowing more than one team from a conference into the NCAA tournament.

Jerry West and David Thompson, two of basketball’s all-time brightest stars, will be recognized as members of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame’s founding class. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, West was a three-time All-America at West Virginia and led the Mountaineers to the NCAA championship game. He was co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a 14-time NBA all-star and the league’s most valuable player in 1972.

Thompson was a three-time All-America and two-time national player of the year. He led North Carolina State to the 1974 NCAA Championship, was a three-time ACC player of the year and the national player of the year in his final two seasons. Thompson was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1996.

The founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame includes all of the coaches, players and contributors with roots in college basketball inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., prior to 2006.

ABOUT THE NABC
The National Association of Basketball Coaches Foundation, Inc. was organized and operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including supporting and carrying out the charitable and education purposes of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The NABC Foundation is the founder and chief sponsor of Ticket to Reading Rewards, a national literacy program targeting middle school aged youth. In addition, the Foundation operates the College Basketball Experience (CBE), an experiential facility that also includes the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Opened in October, 2007, the CBE is adjacent to the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City, Mo. For additional information, please visit www.nabcfoundation.org.

The list of NFL 101 Award recipients includes New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees as the NFC Offensive Player of the Year and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning as the AFC Offensive Player of the Year. This marks the sixth time Manning has received the award, making him the most decorated player in the 40-year history of the 101 Awards. It’s the third 101 Award in four years for Brees. Both Manning and Brees led their teams to a spot in Super Bowl XLIV.

On the defensive side of the ball, Charles Woodson, cornerback for the Green Bay Packers, is the NFC Defensive Player of the Year, while cornerback Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, is the AFC Defensive Player of the Year. Woodson recorded nine interceptions and returned three of those for a touchdown, tying for the NFL lead in both categories. Revis was named as a Pro Bowl starter after recording six interceptions and consistently shutting down some of the game’s top receivers for the league’s top-ranked defense.

Sean Payton, who guided the Saints to wins in their first 14 games of the regular season and then all the way to the first Super Bowl berth in franchise history, was tabbed NFC Coach of the Year, his second 101 honor in four years. Marvin Lewis was selected as AFC Coach of the Year after turning the Bengals from a 4-11-1 team in 2008 to 10-6 and the AFC North title in 2009, including critical leadership when the Bengals suffered tragedies off the field.

A national media committee, comprised of 101 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL, selected the winners in each award category in a nationwide vote at the conclusion of the regular season.

In addition to these award winners, the Committee of 101 announced the third recipient of the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football, created in 2007 to honor the life and legacy of the late owner of the Kansas City Chiefs. Given in recognition of visionary leadership that has helped the NFL become the preeminent pro sports league in America, this year’s award goes not to a person but rather a program – Monday Night Football. Celebrating its 40th anniversary season in 2009, MNF brought the NFL to a prime time viewing audience on a week night and revolutionized the way professional football was marketed to millions of viewers.

The 2009 season award winners will be presented with trophies at the 40th Annual NFL 101 Awards gala in Kansas City Saturday, March 6, 2010, at the Westin Crown Center. The prestigious black-tie awards event was founded in 1969 and has evolved into what many sports insiders consider the finest awards event of its kind.

The awards show hosts for the evening will be NFL Network sportscaster Paul Burmeister and CBS football analyst Rich Gannon, a former NFL Most Valuable Player and two-time 101 award winner.

“It is exciting to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of this prestigious event in Kansas City,” said Bill Nelson, longtime civic leader in Kansas City who serves as Chairman of the Committee of 101. “The award winners have made outstanding contributions to the game of professional football both on the field and off the field. We are proud to host them during this anniversary year and look forward to a special night in their honor.”

In addition to the national winners, the awards dinner will recognize two Chiefs players: the 2009 Derrick Thomas MVP recipient, running back Jamaal Charles, and the Mack Lee Hill Award winner, rookie placekicker Ryan Succop.

The 101 Awards event serves as a benefit for the Chiefs Children’s Fund, a 501(c)3 foundation that distributes funds to various children’s charities throughout the Kansas City area. Event proceeds this year will be specifically directed to the “27th & Prospect” project, one of the most compelling community-focused initiatives in recent Kansas City history. The development of the Morningstar Youth & Family Life Center will be the centerpiece of turning this dangerous and crime-ridden neighborhood into a place of hope and inspiration.

While the 101 Awards event is backed by corporate sponsors, the awards dinner is open to the public and a limited number of tickets at $165 are available. Ticket and sponsorship inquiries should be directed to Jeff Hiller
at (913) 681-6990 extension 111.