Westminster College will join institutions from across the country in celebrating NCAA Division III (DIII) Week from Monday, April 1 to Sunday, April 7.

In celebration of DIII Week and the 50th anniversary of DIII athletics, Westminster’s Department of Athletics and students in the Sports Event Planning and Management capstone course have planned multiple events throughout the week.

“In addition to providing our students with real-world experience planning events from start to finish, the goals of this initiative are to celebrate the many student-athletes of Westminster College and to deepen connections with New Wilmington and the surrounding communities,” said Martha McGrath-Brown, course instructor and a faculty member in the School of Business.  Currently, 50% of Westminster’s student body are student-athletes who compete in the College’s 22 varsity sports.

Community members are welcome to participate in any of the following events which are free and open to public:

• Tuesday, April 2: Women’s lacrosse game with pregame tailgate activities, including a food truck, games, a half-field shot contest and T-shirt giveaways. Tailgate starts at 5 p.m. next to the field and the game begins at 7 p.m. at the UPMC Sports Complex.
  
  
• Wednesday, April 3: Men’s Lacrosse game with pregame tailgate activities, including games and a pie-a-coach or pie-a-professor competition. Tailgate starts at 5 p.m. next to the field and the game begins at 7 p.m. at the UPMC Sports Complex.
   
• Friday, April 5: Disney’s “Remember the Titans” movie will be shown in the Witherspoon Room of McKelvey Campus Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., introduction begins at 6:50 p.m. and the movie will start at 7 p.m.
   
• Saturday, April 6: Special Olympics event featuring Special Olympians from Western Pennsylvania. Begins at 8 a.m. at Memorial Field House. Hosted by Westminster’s Council for Exceptional Children and the Lawrence County Special Olympics of Pennsylvania. New Wilmington Nutrition will sell beverages at the event and owner Brittney Nocera will donate $2 per beverage to the Special Olympics.
   
• Sunday, April 7: 5K Prediction Run. In-person registration at the Westminster baseball field will begin at 7:15 a.m. The race will begin at 8 a.m. There is a $10 registration fee and proceeds will benefit the Wilmington Area School District Academic Boosters.

According to the NCAA, DIII Week “is a positive opportunity for all individuals associated with Division III to observe and celebrate the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community.”

For more information about any of the events, please contact McGrath-Brown at mcgratmc@westminster.edu or 704-299-0368.

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