The Buffs are headed to Virginia.
On Friday, organizers from the Paradise Jam announced the new location for its annual basketball tournament, selecting Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. The event was forced to relocate from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands after the region suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
Organizers announced the tournament would relocate last week, asking the eight participating schools to submit proposals to host.
“We received several strong proposals from participating universities and ultimately made the decision based off of feasibility for traveling teams, hotel availability, flight availability, associated costs, and practice and competition venues,” tournament director Jenn Ashby said in a statement. “We’re incredibly thankful to all of the participating teams for their willingness to make adjustments during a difficult time, and we’re appreciative of the Liberty program for their desire to contribute to the hurricane relief efforts as part of their proposal to host the Paradise Jam. We’re looking forward to hosting an event that matches the standard we have come to expect in the U.S. Virgin Islands and look forward to returning to the territory next year.”
The Buffs open the tournament Nov. 17 against Quinnipiac at 4 p.m. MST in Liberty University’s Vines Center. CU will play either Wake Forest or Drake on Nov. 18 and will play a third game on Nov. 19. In addition to Liberty, the remainder of the field includes Houston, Drexel, and Mercer. CU’s ability to host was limited due to volleyball games scheduled at the Coors Events Center on Nov. 17 and 18.
In a statement, Liberty athletic director Ian McCaw announced all funds the university receives from gate receipts will be donated to humanitarian efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also, tournament organizers announced the Paradise Jam has paired with The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands to accept tax-deductible donations for hurricane relief efforts. More information is available at paradisejam.com.
Pat Rooney: rooneyp@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/prooney07
