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News Nuggets, 10.02.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Charlotte 49ers gearing up for Basketball Madness

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte basketball fans will get their first opportunity to see the 2003-04 edition of the 49ers on Friday, Oct. 17th during the 49ers Basketball Madness in Halton Arena.

The teams will take the court a few seconds past midnight, technically Saturday morning - the first allowable practice date according to NCAA rules.

There will be a full slate of activities leading up to the 49ers' debut. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the Charlotte volleyball team scheduled take on Cincinnati beginning at 8 p.m.

Basketball Madness will begin around 10:45 and will feature an introduction of both men's and women's basketball teams, a men's basketball slam dunk contest, a short scrimmage by both teams, performances by the nationally-ranked Charlotte 49ers cheerleaders and Gold Dusters, $10,000 shooting contest and the annual intramural slam dunk and three point contests.

Admission to Basketball Madness is free

OutKast to perform at Tulane Homecoming

NEW ORLEANS - As part of its "Homecoming Weekend" special, MTV will bring the popular hip-hop group "OutKast" to Tad Gormley Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, for a special halftime performance.

OutKast, which currently boasts the No. 1 album in the country, will perform on a stage constructed in the closed end of the stadium during an elongated halftime of the game which pits Tulane versus Houston. Kickoff for the contest is at 1:30 p.m.

In addition to the special halftime performance by one of the most popular acts in the country, MTV will center its special "Homecoming" programming block, which will air on Saturday, Oct. 18th at 3 p.m. EDT, around Tulane University's unique celebration.

The two-hour block includes four shows of original programming, including "Dorm Raiders with Nick and Jessica" which was taped earlier this week on the Tulane campus and featured newlyweds Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson helping one Tulane student find the perfect date for Homecoming weekend. MTV VJ's Damien, Vanessa and Hillary will also be on hand October 10-11 to anchor the network's coverage from New Orleans.

"We're excited to welcome MTV and OutKast to Tulane's 2003 Homecoming celebration at Tad Gormley Stadium," said Tulane Athletics Director Rick Dickson. "This special halftime concert is a great addition to the Homecoming line-up. With the game, the halftime concert, pre-game entertainment, the parade and Tailgating, it's sure to be a great atmosphere on October 11th. We can't wait!"

For more information on Homecoming 2003 events and activities, call the Green Wave Athletics Ticket Office at 504-861-WAVE.

MAC pulls trigger on Central Florida invitation

Cleveland — The Mid-American Conference Council of Presidents announced Wednesday in a news release that an invitation for full conference membership has been extended to the University of Central Florida, pending determination by the Big East Conference as to its future membership plans.

The invitation becomes effective should the Big East expand this fall without adding any institutions from the Mid-American Conference, and is offered for competition beginning with the 2004-05 academic year.

"Conference membership issues have been the dominant agenda item for our Presidents since our June meeting," said Dr. John Peters of Northern Illinois, Chair of the MAC Council of Presidents. "This unanimously-adopted invitation is the end result of multiple conference-wide meetings since that time within the MAC governance structure, and in communication with UCF. The invitation, and the approved six-year conference scheduling plan for the 16 sports that UCF would bring to the MAC, has been thoroughly developed and reviewed with academic, financial and competitive considerations fully evaluated.

"We are mindful of the potential membership volatility within I-A conferences at this time and understand a certain sequencing may exist related to institutional membership decisions, particularly in our view as concerns the Big East Conference," said Peters. "With that said, our commitment as a conference to stability, strength and commonality of academic and athletic values once that sequencing occurs has guided our discussions of the last several months. We wholeheartedly believe that the UCF program, under the strong and consistent leadership of President Hitt, reflects those same priorities, and makes for a natural extension of the very positive relationship that has already developed since November of 2001."

Under the terms of the invitation, UCF would be admitted to the MAC as a full conference member in the MAC East Division, with all rights and privileges of conference membership immediately granted. The scheduling plan approved by the MAC Council of Presidents has eight sports that would compete in a full regular-season scheduling relationship [football, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball], along with eligibility for MAC championships and the league's automatic NCAA tournament bids. The following eight additional sports would conduct individual regular-season competition within the MAC, along with competing for MAC championships and the league's automatic NCAA tournament bids: men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, and women's indoor and outdoor track and field.

"We greatly respect the process that President Hitt and the University of Central Florida must engage in related to future conference membership decisions as the events of this fall develop, and very much appreciate the full consideration that we know will be given our invitation," concluded Peters. "Clearly, membership issues are fundamental to the mission of a conference, and this action is taken with great seriousness of purpose. Our Council of Presidents has been exclusively motivated by the care and custody that has been entrusted to us of a great intercollegiate athletics conference, one that has been a vital and consistent part of major college athletics since 1946. We believe we are in as strong and competitive position as we have ever been to sustain the growth that has been achieved by the programs of the Mid-American Conference, and we are confident that we will continue to compete at the very top level of intercollegiate athletics in a manner consistent with the highest expectations of institutions of higher education."

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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