SportsCenter weekday co-host Jay Harris will serve as the master of ceremonies at the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament Tip-Off Banquet schedule Monday, March 10 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton North Raleigh Hotel in North Carolina.
“We are very pleased to have a media personality such as Jay Harris play a role in this memorable event for our student athletes, coaches and MEAC supporters.” said Dennis Thomas, MEAC Commissioner.
The 2008 MEAC Basketball Tournament begins March 10-15 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Tip-Off Banquet, the tournament’s opening event, recognizes student athletes for their academic and athletic achievements during the 2007-08 MEAC basketball season.
Harris joined ESPN in February 2003 as an ESPNews and SportsCenter anchor. Prior to ESPN he worked for WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a weeknight news anchor.
A native of Norfolk, Va., Harris is a graduate of Old Dominion University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication in 1987. In 2003, he was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award from the university and in was selected as the keynote speaker for university’s 100th commencement ceremony in 2004.
Harris is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. He is married with one child.
Harris has received several notable professional honors including: a Silver World Medal from the New York Festivals, a Robert L. Vann Award from Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, and an EXCEL Award from the Hampton Roads Black Media Professionals.
Ticket books for the basketball tournament can be purchased at MEAC member institutions or at the MEAC Administrative Offices by calling (757) 416-7100. Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster outlets nationwide, or at the RBC Center box office.
To view a schedule of events or for more information on the 2008 MEAC Basketball Tournament, log on to www.meachoops.com.
About the MEAC Tournament
The MEAC Basketball Tournament is a single elimination championship playoff that involves 11 Division I historically black colleges and universities located across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman, Coppin State, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Hampton, Howard, Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T State, and South Carolina State. A bonus game including the North Carolina Central and Winston-Salem State men’s basketball teams will also highlight Championship Saturday.
The tournament is played at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina (Wake County). Both the men’s and women’s tournament champion receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Tickets are available at www.meachoops.com, through Ticketmaster outlets nationwide, at MEAC School Box Offices and at the RBC Center Box Office.