Falcons to Participate in Fifth Annual Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic this Weekend

Sept. 26, 2005

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team will head to Columbus this weekend, to compete in the Fifth Annual Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 1-2). The 19-team tournament, which is hosted by Ohio State, will be held at Fred Beekman Park.

The Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic will be one of the biggest fundraisers this year in Columbus for breast cancer research. As mentioned, a total of 19 teams will compete in the event, which benefits the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

Last year, the event raised a tournament-record $13,551 and is expected to go well beyond that total in 2005 thanks in part to the Ohio Troopers Coalition, a new event sponsor, which has already pledged $7,500.

The Falcons will play five games in the tournament, with Saturday (Oct. 1) matchups against Dayton (11:00 a.m.) and Cleveland State (1:00 p.m.), and Sunday (Oct. 2) games vs. Kent State (11:00 a.m.), Akron (1:00 p.m.) and Wright State (5:00 p.m.).

Stefanie Spielman will make an appearance at 5:00 p.m. Sunday at the Fifth Annual Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic (photo courtesy OSU Athletics Communications)

"October kicks off breast cancer awareness month and with the cooperation of the teams, officials, fans, vendors, and some great volunteers, we hope that the Charity Classic will raise more than $20,000 this year," OSU softball coach Linda Kalafatis said. "And as always, we're so grateful to the umpires who donate their time and to our grounds crew who always takes care of us and makes this a first-class event. It's a `can't-miss' opportunity to see the best softball in Ohio."

Fred Beekman Park is a four-field complex located west of State Route 315 at Lane Avenue. Concessions will be available and bleacher seating is limited. Admission to the event will be a $5 donation and all proceeds go directly to the charity. Notably, all of the umpires for this event are donating their time.

Spielman and her husband, former All-Pro NFL linebacker and OSU standout, Chris Spielman, established the Stefanie Spielman Fund. The couple pledged to raise $1 million for breast cancer research at the Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University. The goal has been surpassed, but the Spielmans continue the fight against breast cancer. For information, please log on to the Stephanie Spielman Fund website at www.jamesline.com.

The large-school bracket this year boasts 10 of the 11 Division I programs in Ohio, including Akron, Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Dayton, Kent State, Miami, Ohio, Ohio State, Toledo and Wright State. In the small-school tournament are Ashland, Findlay, Kenyon, Ohio Dominican, Ohio Wesleyan, Rio Grande, Tiffin, Urbana and Wittenberg.

(Some information for this release courtesy OSU Athletics Communications office)

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