TAKE A LITTLE OFF THE TOP

Last night, following the first Key Dog Strikeout Cancer Classic (won 5-4 by VCU), both VCU and Old Dominion had their heads shaved to raise cancer awareness:

P.S.: Check out the sweet breakdancing moves by VCU junior infielder Tom Crimi at the end.

 

KEY DOG CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS

Great night for the Rams, who earned a 5-4 win over Old Dominion in the first Key Dog Strikeout Cancer Classic. The Rams scored five runs, matching the number worn by late Coach Paul Keyes, for whom last night’s game was played.

LET’S STRIKEOUT CANCER

Tuesday at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, VCU and Old Dominion will wage a battle against cancer. The Rams and Monarchs will play at 7 p.m. in the first Key Dog Strikeout Cancer Classic, named for late VCU Baseball Coach Paul Keyes, who passed away in November after a battle with cancer. Proceeds will be donated to Keyes’ family.

Afterwards, both teams will be shaving their heads at home plate to raise cancer awareness.

HOLLINGSWORTH EYES STATESIDE RETURN…AFTER EURO MATTERS

Former Ram Quanitra Hollingsworth averaged 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds for the New York Liberty in 2011.

Yes, Quanitra Hollingsworth will be returning to the WNBA this year, but she’s got some other business to tend to first.

The former VCU star and Olympian, currently playing with UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian PBL, says she gave her blessing to the April 15 trade which sent her rights from the New York Liberty to the Washington Mystics for a third round draft pick.

“I was made aware of the option of being traded,” the 24-year-old Hollingsworth wrote via email. “After communicating with [New York] and my agent, I felt this was the best decision for me given all circumstances.”

Hollingsworth, a three-year WNBA veteran, did not play in the league last season due to her commitment to the Turkish Olympic team. In 90 career WNBA games with the Minnesota Lynx and the Liberty, Hollingsworth has averaged 3.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. The ninth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Lynx, Hollingsworth enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2011 after being acquired by New York. Hollingsworth served as a critical reserve for the Liberty that season, providing 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.

Hollingsworth became a naturalized Turkish citizen last year and helped that country reach the Olympic quarterfinals in London last summer, averaging 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds. But Hollingsworth will return stateside this year.

“I did miss playing in the WNBA last year, and that was part of my decision to be traded,” she said. “I wanted an opportunity to be back playing on that stage as soon as possible.”

She plans to report to the Mystics, who finished 5-29 last season, in July, after she plays for Turkey in the European Championships June 15-30 in France. Turkey opens Group play June 15 against Ukraine.

Hollingsworth will play for Turkey in this summer’s European Championships.

In the meantime, she’ll focus on European matters.

Her current UMMC squad is loaded with a roster that includes Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker and Sue Bird. Unsurprisingly, the team has already rolled to Russian Cup and Russian League Championships. Hollingsworth is averaging 4.6 points and 3.6 rebounds, while shooting 61 percent from the field, this season for UMMC.

In early June, she’ll report to training camp with the Turkish National Team for European Championship preparations. Turkey has never won the bi-annual event, but captured a surprise silver medal in 2011. Combined with the country’s 4-2 mark in Olympic play last summer, Hollingsworth and the Turks could be primed for a breakthrough. Turkey is 13^th in FIBA’s World Rankings, and second in fibaeurope.com’s April 22 Power Rankings of European teams.

“I am excited about the European Championships and what our team can do there. We have a strong team,” Hollingsworth, a Chesapeake, Va. native, said. “Last summer’s participation in the London Olympics granted us with much experience that we will take into this June’s competitions. With the addition of some younger players at training camp, we will have all that is necessary to accomplish our set goals for France!”

Hollingsworth made waves back in 2005, when she cracked VCU’s starting lineup at 16 years old. She went on to total more than 1,600 points, 1,100 rebounds and 55 double-doubles in four seasons for the Rams, and led VCU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009.

THE FIRST OF MANY, WE HOPE

Congrats to the VCU Women’s Tennis team, which swept through the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships this weekend. The Rams did not lose a match (16-0) in four contests on the way to the first A-10 Championship in school history.

RAMS CHASING VCU’S FIRST A-10 TITLE

Atlantic 10 Championship Central

VCU’s move from the CAA to the Atlantic 10 Conference was met with much fanfare this summer. By weekend’s end, folks in the athletic department hope to have a nice souvenir to go with it.

As of Friday afternoon, two victories stood between the VCU Women’s Tennis team and the first A-10 Championship in VCU history.

If the chalk holds, and the Rams are certainly the favorites in Charlottesville, it would end a string of near-misses for VCU Athletics in its first A-10 go-round. Both men’s and women’s soccer reached their respective A-10 Championship games, as did men’s basketball, but fell in the title contest. In addition, the volleyball and field hockey programs advanced to the league’s championship semifinals.

Hopefully, that frustrating streak of close-but-no-cigar finishes is finished.

The women’s tennis team captured four CAA titles from 1996-2012, including two of the last three. VCU is 20-4 overall and has won 11 straight. The Rams are the top seed and meet cross-town rival and fourth-seeded Richmond Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in Charlottesville. The Rams didn’t lose a single set in their A-10 Tournament victories over La Salle and Temple.

Richmond is 11-11 following a 4-3, come-from-behind win over Charlotte Friday. A victory over the Spiders would send VCU to the A-10 Championship Match Sunday at 10 a.m.

VCU Athletics won 42 CAA Championships during its 17-year tenure in the league from 1995-2012. The first in men’s basketball in March 4, 1996. The last in men’s tennis on April 22, 2012.

THIS GAVE ME CHILLS

I could watch this 100 times. Go USA. Go Boston.

WEYMOUTH SENDS ERRRBODY HOME

Props to VCU second baseman Jordan Weymouth, whose walk-off base hit gave the Rams a 5-4 win over VMI Wednesday night at The Diamond. The Atlantic 10 season is about to get heated. The Rams head to defending league champ Dayton this weekend for a three-game set in the great state of Ohio.

BASKETBALL ALREADY OFFERING HINTON POST-HOOPS CAREER PATH

David Hinton at the Jordan Brand Classic April 13.

It didn’t take long for David Hinton to find his way back to a basketball court.

Hinton, a fifth-year senior who recently completed his eligibility with the VCU Men’s Basketball team, is in Anaheim, Calif. this week in conjunction with the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), a premier AAU basketball camp.

It’s the second major event in as many weeks for Hinton, who is serving as an event management intern for Position Sports, a sports marketing firm based out of Phoenix. Position Sports is closely tied to many of Nike’s major events, including Hinton’s first foray into event management, the Jordan Brand Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 13.

The Jordan Brand Classic is known for its annual national high school all-star game, but there are actually three games, including an international and regional all-star contest, staged the same day.

Hinton spent a week in New York City helping organizers stage the event. Hinton’s title, event management intern, is in many ways a catch-all for, “pretty much anything we can think of”.

“It wasn’t anything,” Hinton said. “It was everything.”

He says he did everything from the physical set-up and breakdown of the event to assisting with will call and ticketing issues. It also helped, he says, that he played at Barclays Center just a month ago with the Rams in the Atlantic 10 Championship. Not only was he familiar with the layout of the building, but it allowed him to give feedback on things such as, which lockerrooms were preferred and other information.

Workdays were often 16-18 hours and, on the day of the actual event, Hinton says he pulled a 20-hour day. But he’s not complaining.

“It was fun though, doing something I love, working with basketball,” said Hinton, a 6-foot-8 forward who appeared in 75 games in four seasons for VCU.

Hinton earned his bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security last spring, but is currently enrolled in VCU’s Center for Sport Leadership master’s program. His work with Position Sports will earn him three credit hours for a required externship, but more importantly, it’s fleshing out his resume. At a time when openings for government jobs could be scarce, it doesn’t hurt to have other options.

“I’m glad I’m going to have degrees in two different areas, whereas some people have a narrower focus,” he said. “I’m glad I have another degree I can fall back on.”

Plus, Hinton is a self-professed “sneakerhead” who owns more than 100 pairs of Nikes. Working this closely with the shoe and apparel giant is somewhat of a dream for the Winston-Salem, N.C. native.

Hinton’s internship will continue through the summer, and he’ll zigzag the country for different events, including another EYBL session April 26-28 in Hampton, Va.

VIDEO: 2012-13 VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL