March 10, 2004

TSU intramural basketball team to compete in national tournament

While intercollegiate basketball teams across the country are awaiting post-season bids, one Troy State University team knows it will compete for a national title.

The Troy State University 's women's extramural team, the Lady Trojans, will compete in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) tournament at Ohio University in Athens , Ohio , April 1-4. The Lady Trojans will be one of up to 64 teams competing in the tournament.

NIRSA, founded in 1950, includes 740 institutional members and represents more than five and one-half million students who participate in collegiate-based recreational programs.

The Lady Trojans, an all-star team composed of players from TSU intramural teams, earned the automatic bid to nationals by winning the Southeastern Regional Championship March 5-7 at Mississippi State University .

The Lady Trojans played six games in a 24-hour period finishing the tournament with a record of 4-2 and the championship title. The TSU squad defeated teams from Virginia College, Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi to win the title. The Lady Trojans defeated Virginia College 56-45 in the finals.

Constance Kelly, a senior sports and fitness major from Marion, was named tournament MVP.

Other members of the Lady Trojans are:

(Name)           (Hometown)            (Year)   (Major)
Merri Burks        Louisville, Ala.          Senior    Sports and Fitness Mgmt.
Christy Cooper  Tallahassee, Fla.      Junior     Marketing
Leslie Garmon   Gadsden, Ala.           Senior    Psychology/Social Science Edu.
Alison Hardy      Tallassee, Ala.          Senior    Public Relations
Marci Jackson     Macon, Ga.               Junior     Nursing
Erika Leitzky      Hurtisford, Wis.        Junior     Elementary Ed
Janna Mount      Marianna, Fla.          Junior     Marketing
Leah Spurlin      Troy, Ala.                  Senior    Nursing
Toni Teague      Dothan, Ala.              Junior    Criminal Justice