NCAA Tournament bound Saint Francis receives warm welcome back home
LORETTO, Pa. (WTAJ) – Making the NCAA Tournament has been a goal that Saint Francis head men's basketball coach Rob Krimmel has been chasing ever since coming to Loretto as a player in the mid 1990s. With winning the NEC Tournament on Tuesday night, Krimmel finally has a ticket to the big dance.
'I really haven't had a chance to process it,' Krimmel said while choked up. 'I just told these guys (that) the players that I played with all wanted to (make the NCAA Tournament) and we couldn't do it. You just never know when you're going to get to that moment.'
Let's Dance! Saint Francis is heading back to the NCAA Tournament
It's a moment that Saint Francis sophomore Daemar Kelly has been looking forward to ever since he was a kid.
'It's like a dream come true,' Kelly said. 'Me and my father used to always watch March Madness. This is global. This is a big deal for me, my family and (as a team).'
Red Flash fans and students understand how big of a deal the moment is and gave their team, who will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1991, a warm welcome back to campus on Wednesday.
'This win not only meant a lot to us, but all the people that (are supporting us),' Saint Francis junior Valentino Pinedo said.
'Felt great seeing (everyone) around campus supporting us,' Kelly said.
Saint Francis will have to wait until Sunday to find out who its opponent is for the NCAA Tournament. You can tune into WTAJ at 6 p.m. to watch CBS' Selection Sunday show to see who the Red Flash will play in the opening round.
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