EDISON, New Jersey - The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), in conjunction with Basketball Ireland, and Sports Changes Life, will hold women's basketball clinics in Ireland this month as part of the ongoing efforts to promote women's basketball overseas.
 
Three MAAC Women's Basketball Coaches; Brian Giorgis, Marist College, Jody Craig, Monmouth University, and Jada Pierce, Niagara University, will be representing the MAAC on the upcoming trip. In addition to the four coaches, MAAC Director of Women's Basketball Operations, Alexis Wayne, and MAAC Assistant Commissioner of Championships, Dedra Palmer, will be traveling to five cities throughout Ireland during the week of May 13-20.    
 
The coaches will be hosting clinics for young players and coaches in the cities of Tralee, Galway, Letterkenny, Belfast, and Dublin. The women's basketball coaching clinics are a beginning of a series of community outreach events to help promote women's basketball in Ireland and also to raise awareness for the upcoming Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic being held this November and December. 
 
"The MAAC is excited to again work with Sports Changes Life and Aer Lingus in sponsoring these coaches clinics," noted MAAC Commissioner, Rich Ensor. "I want to thank the MAAC coaches for donating their time and energy to this effort. It is quite a group of coaches with some very talented leaders. They are all committed to providing young women with opportunities to succeed in academics and athletics."
 
Secretary General of Basketball Ireland, Bernard O'Byrne stated, "We are delighted to see the MAAC Coaching Clinics return to Ireland once again this year. These clinics are a fantastic opportunity for coaches of all levels from around Ireland to gain valuable insights into the game from widely experienced head coaches. Last year's clinics proved to be a huge success, and we do not doubt that this year's events will be as successful."
 
The MAAC, in partnership with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Sports Changes Life Foundation, will be hosting the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic Men's Basketball Tournament on November 29th - December 2nd. To purchase tickets to the Belfast Classic, visit the SSE Arena's website at http://www.ssearenabelfast.com/. The participating teams will be the University at Albany, University at Buffalo, Dartmouth College, Louisiana Tech, Long Island University, Marist College, University of San Francisco, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 
 
The MAAC prides itself on continuing to grow and support both Men's and Women's Basketball. Along with Siena College, the MAAC will serve as the host for the 2019 Women's NCAA Basketball Regional as well as the 2020 NCAA Men's Basketball First & Second Rounds, both at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. Also, along with Canisius College and Niagara University, the MAAC will co-host the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball First & Second Rounds at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. 
 
Coaches Quotes:
Brian Giorgis, Marist College: "It is a tremendous honor to represent the MAAC and Marist College in helping to teach the game of basketball to both the coaches and youth players of Ireland. I look forward to the experience and hopefully, we can have a positive impact on everyone!"
 
Jody Craig, Monmouth University: "It's an honor to represent Monmouth University and the MAAC as one of the coaches given the opportunity to work with the Sports Changes Lives Program! I'm extremely excited to be a part of a program that grows our game and changes lives. I look forward to working alongside two such highly successful veteran coaches, Brian Giorgis and Jada Pierce."
 
Jada Pierce, Niagara University: "It's an honor to represent Niagara University and the MAAC in Ireland through its partnership with the Sports Changes Life Foundation.  I'm looking forward working with Coach Giorgis and Coach Craig teaching the game we love. We will continue to build off last year, providing a great experience for all the participants." 
 
About Sports Changes Life: 
The primary goal of the Sports Changes Life Foundation is to provide an opportunity for raising the aspiration of young people on both sides of the Atlantic so that they can live out their dreams and guide them as sport changes their lives. We are a sports foundation built on inspiration, hope, and victory. SCL works in disadvantaged communities to help young people find a path to a brighter future with the help of our international student-athletes, the Victory Scholars. In February 2016, SCL formally partnered with Rory McIlroy's charity the Rory Foundation, as both foundations strive together to help change the lives of young people on the island of Ireland and beyond.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference: 
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 37th year of competition during the 2016-2017 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.
 
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: 
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.