NCAA DIII Power WIttenberg to Visit Mustangs Oct. 18 7pm

Article by Wittenberg Athletics
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Springfield, Ohio — Following a similar plan as NCAA Division I powerhouse programs Ohio State and Kentucky, Wittenberg University's men's basketball program will participate in a preseason training trip to Canada to prepare for the 2011-12 season. The Tigers are scheduled to play three games between Oct. 15-18 in three different Ontario cities.

The Buckeyes and Wildcats both have taken preseason trips to Canada over the past two years and followed them up with conference championships and deep runs in the NCAA Division I Tournament. Wittenberg Head Coach Bill Brown, class of 1973, hopes his team's trip provides a similar springboard for the Tigers after the program's most recent trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament in March.

The Tigers will play exhibition games against the University of Windsor, the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. Along the way, and in keeping with the university's ambitious new Tiger GAME Plan initiative, Brown plans to make sure his scholar athletes take advantage of as many educational opportunities as possible.

"Though Ontario is not a great distance away, there will most definitely still be a different cultural feel for the players to observe," Brown said. "That should be particularly true in Toronto, where we will spend most of our time. Of course, the team-building aspect and outside competition we will be afforded should both pay big dividends for us as we prepare for the 2011-12 season."

The NCAA Division III program with the most wins and Final Four appearances in history enters the season with high hopes after finishing 20-9 overall a year ago. Eight letterwinners, including five players with at least 20 collegiate starting assignments to their credit, return to the line-up, including honorable mention All-America senior forward Clayton Black, class of 2012 from Lancaster, Ohio.

The Tigers are scheduled to open the 2011-12 season at home against Indiana University-East on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Written By: Ryan Maurer