Antigonish, NS—St. Francis Xavier University is pleased to announce that the Town of Antigonish will be the presenting sponsor for the upcoming Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Women’s Hockey Championship. The national championship is scheduled for March 19-22, 2009 at the Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre.

“We are ecstatic to have the Town of Antigonish on board as our presenting sponsor,” comments Tournament Convener Krista McKenna. “We are looking forward to partnering with the Town on several community events that will be taking place in conjunction with the championship. To have their financial support as we take on the large task of hosting this national championship is tremendous.”

Likewise, Mayor of the Town of Antigonish Carl Chisholm is equally excited about the partnership, commenting “We are pleased to be part of this university event which will get national coverage and put our Town and County on display over a four-day period. Antigonish has always been known as a hotbed for hockey in this Province and we have been given the opportunity to prove this once again.”

“We look forward to participating in the many community events which will be occurring during this time and we hope that everyone will get on board early to help out in whatever way they can to make sure this ladies national hockey tournament is a top-notch event.”

After hosting the 2006 CIS Women’s Ice Hockey Championship at the same venue, the local organizing committee is excited and energized to put on another professional event in bringing together the top six women’s university teams from across the country. Plans are well underway for getting local community members and minor hockey players involved with the championship and several community events will be held in conjunction with the four-day national event.

Former X-Women hockey athletes currently enrolled in the Education program at StFX are leading a Community Relations committee in the planning of a ‘Breakfast of Champions’ event where local school-aged female children will have the opportunity to come on campus for a healthy breakfast, video presentation, speeches and autograph session with varsity athletes. Also planned is a ‘Maritime Buffet’ luncheon for visiting fans, parents and guests, and an Esso Fun Day in conjunction with Hockey Nova Scotia where children not currently involved in the sport of hockey will be encouraged to come out for a skate and skills session at the Keating Centre.

“Having the support of the Town of Antigonish will assist us in the organization and administration of these community events,” comments McKenna. “With the caliber of hockey being played over the course of the weekend we hope to draw in many hockey fans from across the province and the country to showcase what our university and our town has to offer. The financial spin off and tourism revenue that this national event will bring to Antigonish and the surrounding area is quite significant.”

Each of the nine tournament games will be webcast live on the internet, and the championship game scheduled for Sunday evening, March 22 will be televised nationally on TSN2.

Tournament ticket packages are currently on sale at the Keating Millennium Centre box office and include entrance into all nine tournament games over the four-day event. For more information please contact 902-867-3304 or click here.