The CIAA Goes To New York

Hampton, VA - The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association will send a team of men's and women's all star seniors to Long Island to compete against players from the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) in the "Senior Basketball Challenge". This will mark the first meeting between these two conferences and will take place April 26, 20003 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the campus of C.W. Post College.

The NYCAC, a Division II conference based in New York, was created in 1988 and consists of 13 member institutions; Adelphi University, University of Bridgeport, Concordia College, C.W. Post College, Dowling College, Mercy College, Molloy College, University of New Haven, New York Institute of Technology, Philadelphia University, Queens College, St. Thomas Aquinas College and Southhampton College.

Luke D'Alessio, a New Jersey native who led his Bowie State Bulldogs to their first CIAA Basketball Championship this past season, will direct the men's team. D"Alessio's squad finished with a 30-5 record, best in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four.

Vanessa Taylor, Head Coach of the Johnson C. Smith University Lady Golden Bulls, will coach the women's team. Taylor has had her team in contention for the CIAA Championship in her two years at Johnson C. Smith. Her team took the runner up position in the 2003 CIAA Championship after posting a 19-11 record.