Talented wheelchair basketball teams from around the midwest and Canada are converging at St. Clair County Community College (SC4) for an action-packed weekend of wheelchair basketball. All are invited to attend and cheer on amazing wheelchair basketball athletes at the second annual Wolverine Invitational, which kicks off at the SC4 Fieldhouse on Friday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m. and runs through Sunday, Oct. 2.
Hosted by the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness in conjunction with SC4, this year’s Wolverine Invitational marks the second edition of the event and kicks off the second competitive season of wheelchair basketball for the University of Michigan.
Following last year’s round-robin style tournament, the University of Michigan team returns to action alongside the Detroit Wheelchair Pistons. Three new teams enter the competition – the Variety Village Rolling Rebels, the Brampton Crashers and the LWSRA Hawks. This tournament will feature national and international level talent with some of the best players from both sides of the border.
Tipping off on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. the Wolverines play the Crashers in their season opener. The Wolverines are looking to build off their eighth place finish in Division 2 at the NWBA National Championships last year.
“It is truly an honor to host the second annual Wolverine Invitational,” said Jessica Wynne, University of Michigan Wheelchair Basketball Head Coach. “We take pride in being able to promote and provide opportunities for inclusive recreation and adaptive sports and fitness in our home state. Our goal for the season opener is to play championship basketball. We look forward to representing the University and our generous supporting network on and off the court.” Jessica, a former UM Women’s Basketball athlete, is returning for her second season as Head Coach of the UM Wheelchair Basketball team.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format through Sunday morning. Following the preliminary matches are semi-final matches for the top four teams, a third-place game, and a championship game Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
The Wolverine Invitational, which marks another high-caliber collegiate sporting event at SC4, is free to the public. The final schedule and streaming information will be available on the UM Adaptive Sports & Fitness website as the event nears.
“We are excited to host this event and look forward to welcoming guests to the SC4 Fieldhouse to see these incredible athletes play,” said Dale Vos, SC4 director of athletics. “This event, much like the other tournaments we’re hosting on campus, will make a substantial positive impact on the local community, bringing visitors to the area and filling hotels and restaurants.”
