2009 ECAC Convention and Trade Show Kicks Off This Weekend

CAPE COD, Mass. - This year's annual ECAC Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Clark Companies, Gale Associates, Musco Lighting and Sportsfield Specialties, will be held October 4-6, at The Resort and Conference Center in Hyannis, Mass. Over 140 ECAC delegates will be attending this year's event, and more than 60 exhibitors will be showcasing their businesses. 

Events will begin on Sunday, October 4, at the Hyannis Golf Club, where the ECAC's annual Golf Outing will take place. This year's Outing is sponsored by Musco Lighting. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 11:30 a.m. In addition, there will be several competitions throughout the day, including the longest drive and hole-in-one contest. Following the outing there will be a social hour and presentation of the golf prizes. 

On Sunday night at 7 p.m., many delegates will be attending the 2009 ECAC Clambake sponsored by Clark Companies and NEVCO. Following the clambake, all are welcome to watch Sunday Night Football at Bogeys. 

Monday will begin the trade show and convention meetings. Both will proceed into Tuesday.  ECAC commissioner Rudy Keeling will open, with his speech entitled "It's Our ECAC!"  Dr. Bernard Franklin, the NCAA Executive Vice President for Membership and Student-Athlete Affairs, will be the keynote speaker. 

Several others meetings and speeches will take place over the two days.  Some of the highlights include: ‘Gender Equity and Senior Women Administrator Updates' by Jody Mooradian and Monique Morgan; ‘Division III Governance' by speaker Dan Dutcher; ‘Leadership and Diversity in Collegiate Athletics' presented by Monica Love, Irma Garcia, and Zak Ivkovic; and ‘NACMA on the Road,' which will hold several presentation topics.

The NACMA sessions for the 2009 Convention will begin with their keynote speaker Jeff Bain, NACMA president, and speaker Chris Wagner, NeuLion. Sessions to follow include: ‘Promoting Your Brand: Best Practices;' ‘Web Streaming Technologies;' ‘Facebook and the New World of Electronic Communication:' and an informal panel discussion on marketing, promoting, branding, ticketing and fundraising within collegiate athletics.

The convention will also hold ECAC officiating, board member and league meetings over the two days. 

On Monday afternoon in the trade show room, delegates will have a chance view and take pictures with the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox World Series Trophies.

At noon on Tuesday, the ECAC will hold its 2009 Honors Luncheon sponsored by Jostens.  Several student-athletes, athletic staff members, and athletic officials will be presented awards for their accomplishments they have made in the athletic world. 

Evening activities are schedule for Monday and Tuesday night as well.  Monday night at 6:30 p.m. delegates will take a trolley ride to Tugboats for a reception sponsored by Gale Associates.  Following Tugboats, all are welcome to watch Monday Night Football at Bogeys. On Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m., the ECAC will be holding the 2009 All-American Football Foundation Awards Dinner.