CHARLOTTESVILLE–The Charlottesville Cardinals leave on Thursday morning for Birmingham, Alabama and the Lakeshore Foundation’s annual Pioneer Tournament there this weekend.
The tournament typically features many of the top teams in the country and this year is no exception. Leading the list of heavyweights is the #1-ranked Dallas Movin’ Mavericks who are also the current defending NWBA national champions. In addition to the Mavericks, the tournament field includes the #3-ranked Indianapolis RHI Pacers and the #10-ranked Atlanta Shepherd Stealers.
Along with the 15th-ranked Cardinals, the tournament field will be bolstered by three of the nation’s showcase intercollegiate programs–the University of Illinois, the University of Texas-Arlington, and the University of Alabama. All of the elite collegiate squads are capable of claiming the tournament championship.
“We certainly will have our hands full this weekend,” said Cardinals’ coach Tom Vandever. “We open against Indianapolis at 9:00 a.m. Friday morning and then face the University of Alabama later in the afternoon…and unfortunately that might be our easy day! But tough games make us better–it will be a great experience to continue building our team,” he noted.