19-02-2025
Gannon University, PennWest Edinboro to host 2025 CCA Women's D2 Tip-Off Classic
Two local universities are looking forward to the weekend of November 7-9 as they prepare to bring the best in women's D2 basketball to the region.
Gannon University and Edinboro Athletics will host the 2025 CCA Women's D2 Tip-Off Classic.
Six teams, along with the Golden Knights and Fighting Scotts, will play a total of 12 games that will open up the basketball season.
'Erie loves quality basketball, loves talent and I can't give the names away but I have verbal commitments from really good teams. So it's going to be really exciting for them to come to Erie and for us to show them what Erie's all about,' said Cleve Wright, head women's basketball coach at Gannon University.
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This is the first time a women's basketball tournament of this level is being held locally and both head coaches have the duty to recruit the teams.
Gannon and Edinboro will be going head to head once the tournament begins, but until then, this is a rare opportunity for these schools to collaborate.
'Usually we're competitors and we're competing against each other but I think its really special that we get to collaborate in a setting like this for the community,' said Callie Wheeler, head women's basketball coach at PennWest Edinboro University.
The games will be played in both PennWest Edinboro's McComb Field House and Gannon's newly renovated Highmark Events Center.
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Not only will this bring teams from all over the country, but it will attract their families and new people to the area, rebounding the local economy.
'We haven't done any real solid estimated economic impact figures on this but we're certain it's going to be a positive impact on our community especially in early November,' said Mark Jeanneret, executive director of the Erie Sports Commission.
'It supports employment at our hotels and all of the banquet staff so it's a real plus for Erie and Erie tourism,' said Nick Scott Sr., owner of Scott Enterprises.
Tickets will go on sale at a later date and additional details will be announced as they get finalized.
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