Jennie Finch to be featured speaker at CWA Luncheon on Feb. 3

VESTAL, N.Y.—The Binghamton Bearcats Athletic Association (BBAA) will host the ninth annual Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon presented by M&T Bank at noon on Monday, Feb. 3, at the Events Center. Held each year to recognize the achievements of Binghamton University’s female student-athletes, the luncheon also raises scholarships awarded to female student-athletes at BU.

This year, World Champion Softball Pitcher Jennie Finch will be the featured speaker. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, she was a starting pitcher on the United States squad that captured the gold medal. Four years later in Beijing, she was a member of the American team that earned the silver medal. Since 2011, she has worked as a color analyst on ESPN.

During her undergraduate career at Arizona, Finch was a three-time, first-team NFCA All-American (2000-02) and was named the Honda Sports Award Winner twice (2001 and 2002). On the mound, Finch shattered the NCAA record with 60 consecutive wins and led the Wildcats to the 2001 College World Series title.

Finch is the latest of an impressive group of guest speakers who have come to Binghamton for the Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon. She is preceded by Shannon Miller (2013), Amanda Beard (2012), Julie Foudy (2011), Kara Lawson (2010) and Jessica Mendoza (2009).

Since 2006, the Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon has raised almost $150,000 to support the BBAA Women’s Scholarship Fund.  The scholarship was established in 2007, and is awarded annually to two deserving female student-athletes. The luncheon began in 2006, with just 75 attendees, and is today one of the Athletics Department’s primary fund-raisers. In 2013, over 500 guests attended the event.

Luncheon attendees will have the opportunity to meet current Bearcat student-athletes and coaches from the women’s teams and to hear them speak about the role athletics has played in their development, careers and life. In addition, guests will have the chance to bid on several auction items with all proceeds going towards the BBAA Women’s Scholarship.

The luncheon, which is open to the public, is held each February as part of a series of national celebratory events surrounding National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), which began in 1986. The purpose of NGWSD is to honor the achievements of all female athletes and recognize the positive influence of sports participation. Tickets for the event are $50 and table sponsorships are $600.

To request a Table Sponsorship or purchase tickets, please call 607-777-BTIX (2849) or go to bubearcats.com. To support this event, contact Bette Anne Gaube at 607-777-2093 or bgaube@binghamton.edu.