UVI Buccaneers to Play Three College Teams in Washington, D.C. Area

The University of the Virgin Islands Buccaneers men's basketball team will play three games in the Washington, D.C., area this weekend.

On Friday, Nov. 5, the UVI Buccaneers will play Montgomery College in the Montgomery College Rockville, Md., campus gymnasium. Game time is 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Nov. 6, at 3 p.m. UVI plays Goucher College in the Goucher campus arena in Towson, Md.
On Sunday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m., UVI plays the University of Mary Washington at the UMW campus arena in Fredericksburg, Va. The games on Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast live on WSTA 1340 A.M. (in the U.S. Virgin Islands) and streamed live over WSTA.com.

It's the first time in 13 years that the UVI team has competed on the U.S. mainland and the first trip to the Washington, D.C., area for many members of the team.

"We'll visit the (Virgin Islands) Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen and take a U.S. Capitol tour, and a tour of the White House," said UVI Athletic Director Peter Sauer. "It's also an opportunity for UVI alumni in the D.C.-Virginia-Maryland area to come out and see the team."

The University of the Virgin Islands is a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) located in the U.S. Virgin Islands with campuses on the islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix. Founded in 1962, UVI is a liberal arts college, which is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. UVI offers associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs.

The University of the Virgin Islands is a member of the LAI (Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria) university league. LAI was established in 1929 and currently consists of 21 U.S.-accredited universities in the Caribbean - 20 in Puerto Rico - and the University of the Virgin Islands.

"It's been a while since the guys have been to the mainland," said UVI Men's Basketball Coach Sean Georges. "It gives us a chance to get together as a team before going into the season. It defines each player's role - it's a great opportunity for us."

Last year, the UVI Buccaneers recorded 8 wins and 8 losses, Georges said, with a team that had only two or three main scorers. This year, however, Georges anticipates a more high powered offense, with several top-scoring players. "It's an exciting brand of basketball," he said. "We have a lot of different options this year."

UVI currently fields varsity teams in men's and women's basketball, cross-country, track and field, swimming, table tennis and men's volleyball, and a competitive dance team. A men's varsity soccer team is being started this Fall Semester on the St. Croix campus. The University of the Virgin Islands also offers a variety of intramural sports activities on both campuses. UVI is a corresponding member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and a member of the Caribbean University Sports Association (CUSA).

"We're going to go out there and represent the University and the Virgin Islands to the best of our ability," Coach Georges said. "We encourage everyone to come out and support us."

The UVI Buccaneers will play Catholica University of Ponce at home on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 9:30 p.m. as part of the annual Paradise Jam tournament in the UVI Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas.

Coaching Staff

Sean Georges - Head Coach
Nyby Douglas - Asst. Coach
Melvin Bryan - Asst. Coach
Dr. Jerry Smith - Athletic Trainer