VESTAL, N.Y. -- The Binghamton Bearcats Athletic Association (BBAA) will host the 15th Annual Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon presented by M&T Bank at noon on Monday, Jan. 27, 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, Major League Baseball broadcaster Suzyn Waldman is the featured speaker.

Waldman is considered a female pioneer in the field of sports broadcasting. Since the 2005 Major League Baseball season, she has been the color commentator for the New York Yankees, working with John Sterling on radio broadcasts, first for WCBS-AM and currently for WFAN in New York City. She is the first woman ever to provide color commentary in the radio booth for a Major League Team.

Waldman was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2016. In addition, she was part of the 2006 exhibit in the Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit entitled "Women in Baseball."

In 1987, Waldman became the first voice every heard on WFAN, the first all sports radio station in the country, and was a mainstay there was 15 years. She created the job of the radio beat reporter, covering both the NY Yankees and the NY Knicks. Her news breaking reports, exclusive interviews, and always original and controversial opinions, won her countless journalism awards, including the International Radio Award for her live and emotional reporting from the upper deck of Candlestick Park during the l989 San Francisco earthquake, the 1996 NY Sportscaster of the year, the American Women in Radio and TV Star award in l999, the Alliance for Women in Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, and the prestigious Gracie Award in 2016. 

"As we celebrate 50 years of women's athletics at Binghamton University we are thrilled  to have Suzyn Waldman as our featured speaker," Binghamton Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott said. "Suzyn is one of the most knowledgeable and accomplished broadcasters in professional sports and a pioneer for enhancing opportunities for women in the industry."

Waldman 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 Joan Benoit-Samuelson (2019), Shannon Boxx (2018), Swin Cash (2017), Amy Van Dyken (2016), Rebecca Lobo (2015), 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 more than $500,000 to support the BBAA Women's Scholarship Fund.  The scholarships were established in 2007, and have grown incrementally each year.  In 2018, 10 BBAA Women's Scholarships were awarded to female student-athletes. The luncheon began in 2006, with just 75 attendees, and is today one of the Athletics Department's primary fundraisers. Last year, an event-record 780 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.

Tickets for the event are $60 and table sponsorships are $600. To purchase tickets, visit the Events Center Box Office or order tickets online by clicking here.