Oct. 27, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- - The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced today that it will sponsor a senior all-star game to be played as part of the 2010 NCAA® Division III men's basketball championships March 19&20 at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.

"We conduct the Reese's College All-Star game for Division I, played at the Final Four, and sponsor the NABC Division II All-Star game, played at the NCAA Division II championships in Springfield (Mass.)," said NABC Executive Director Jim Haney. "Thanks to the advocacy of two members of our board of directors, Page Moir (Roanoke College) and Charlie Brock (Springfield College), we are very pleased to work with the NCAA to launch this event. Coaches, players and fans of all of basketball, especially in Division III, will benefit from this game."

The NABC Division III All-Star game will be played on Saturday, March 20, at 10 a.m., replacing the consolation game. This game has long been a topic of conversation for the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Committee, which is the committee ultimately responsible for the NCAA Division III basketball championship and now the NABC All-Star game. Two 10-man teams will be selected for the game, with two players coming from each of the eight regions in Division III. The remaining four senior players will be selected from the two semifinal teams which do not reach the Division III national championship game, scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday. Coaches for the two all-star teams will be selected from among past and present recipients of the annual NABC Division III Outstanding Service awards.

The selection committee for the game will be composed of a representative of each of the eight regions in NCAA® Division III and will be selected by the NCAA® Division III men's basketball committee. Mike McGrath, head coach at the University of Chicago, will chair the selection committee.

Division III coaches will have the opportunity to nominate senior candidates for the game.

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently claims nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.com.