VESTAL, N.Y. -- The Binghamton Bearcats Athletic Association (BBAA) will host the 10th annual Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon presented by M&T Bank at noon Monday, Feb. 2, at the Events Center. Held each year to recognize the achievements of Binghamton University's female student-athletes, the luncheon also raises funding for scholarships awarded to female student-athletes at Binghamton University.
This year, former Olympic Champion and WNBA standout Rebecca Lobo will be the featured speaker. Currently, she is an analyst on ESPN.
From 1991-95, Lobo was a four-year standout with the Connecticut Huskies. She was a two-time, first-team All-American and finished her career with 2,133 points. In her senior year at Connecticut, Lobo led the Huskies to a perfect 35-0 season and was named the Naismith Women's College Basketball Player of the Year. She was also named the 1995 Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press.
In 1996, Lobo was a member of the U.S. Team that captured the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics.
When the WNBA was formed in 1997, Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty. In that first season, she was named second-team All-WNBA and was selected to the league's inaugural all-star game. She played six more seasons in the WNBA before retiring in 2003.
Lobo's basketball career was capped off by her 2010 induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Lobo is the latest of an impressive group of guest speakers who have come to Binghamton for the Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon. She is preceded by Jennie Finch (2014), Shannon Miller (2013), Amanda Beard (2012), Julie Foudy (2011), Kara Lawson (2010) and Jessica Mendoza (2009)
.
Since 2006, the Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon has raised over $180,000 to support the BBAA Women's Scholarship Fund. The scholarships were established in 2007, and areawarded annually to two deserving female student-athletes. The luncheon began in 2006, with just 75 attendees, and is today one of the Athletics Department's primary fundraisers. In 2014, more than 500 guests attended the event.
Luncheon attendees will have the opportunity to meet current Bearcat student-athletes and coaches from the women's teams and to hear them speak about the role athletics has played in their development, careers and life. In addition, guests will have the chance to bid on several auction items with all proceeds going toward the BBAA Women's Scholarship Fund.
The luncheon, which is open to the public, is held each February as part of a series of national celebratory events surrounding National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), which began in 1986. The purpose of NGWSD is to honor the achievements of all female athletes and recognize the positive influence of sports participation. Tickets for the event are $50 and table sponsorships are $600.
To request a Table Sponsorship or purchase tickets, call 777-BTIX (2849) or register at the link below:
Register Here
