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CHARLOTTE - Hours before the chase for championships begins, the CIAA took time to honor more than 25 student-athletes from 11 schools on Tuesday.
Held at the Charlotte Convention Center, the 2010 CIAA Basketball Tournament Tipoff Luncheon signaled the start of third-largest basketball tournament in the United States. Dressed in their best, honorees included members of the 2010 All-CIAA men's and women's teams, All-Rookie teams, Defensive Players of the Year, Players of the Year, Coaches of the Year, Division Champions and teams with the highest GPA. "It is really nice to see everyone in a different environment," said Fayetteville State women's head coach Eva Patterson-Heath. "The ladies and gentlemen look very nice." Fayetteville State's Deja Middleton was named Defensive Player of the Year while Tiffany Haywood was selected to the All-CIAA team. "It's the culmination of the hard work that they put in during the preseason," Patterson-Heath said. "I don't want to say culmination because I don't want it to end." Jamel Carpenter, the CIAA's leading scorer, was named to the All-CIAA team. "It's nice to have this family together and fellowship before we go to war on Wednesday," first-year FSU men's head coach Alphonza Kee said. "For our Division II this is a BCS-level conference and we do things first rate." Both teams open up CIAA tournament play on Wednesday. Patterson-Heath and the FSU women meet Johnson C. Smith and 3 p.m. while the men face Elizabeth City State at 7 p.m. For more information on the CIAA tournament, visit http://theciaa.com/championships/2009-10/winter/trn2010/trnindex
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