KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — LSU’s women’s basketball coaching staff, including head coach Pokey Chatman, joined with the Habitat for Humanity, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the NCAA to build a home that will eventually be moved to Baton Rouge. The build took place in conjunction with the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Induction over the weekend.
The home will be dedicated to the memory of Sue Gunter, former LSU women’s basketball coach and 2000 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Final construction of the home will take place in Baton Rouge between May 27 and June3, and be dedicated on June 3 in conjunction with a 14-home Habitat building blitz in the area.
In addition to the Knoxville build, the WBCA and the NCAA have partnered to provide exclusive autographed basketballs for an online auction. Four commemorative silver anniversary basketballs signed by the Women’s Final Four coaches, including Chatman, and one commemorative silver anniversary basketball signed by the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball 25th Anniversary Team will be auctioned online. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Habitat for Humanity, International and the local Boston Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Bids for the autographed basketballs are now being accepted online at http://auctions.ncaasports.com. The auction will close on May 3.
“From the beginning, the WBCA pledged resources to the NCAA’s ‘Home Team’ partnership,” said Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice-president for Division I Women’s Basketball. “This initiative by the women’s basketball coaches’ community embraces the spirit of women’s basketball and is another example of the community outreach efforts that the women’s basketball community is committed to.”
The project is the latest development in a three-year “Home Team” partnership between Habitat for Humanity and the NCAA that began in September with a $1 million lead gift from Division II and a $500,000 matching gift from the Association and the national office. In January, the Association leadership donated an additional $1 million for a total of $2.5 million. The partnership will provide donations through additional fundraising and volunteers for the long-term rebuilding effort on the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
“This partnership is incredibly important to Habitat for Humanity because of the many resources the NCAA offers,” said Chris Clarke, senior vice president of Habitat for Humanity International. “The NCAA brings much needed funding and volunteers to address the needs of families displaced by the hurricanes. They also reach out to America’s youth and encourage them to make a difference. Best of all, they will carry that message over the next three years,” Clarke said.
A similar “Habitat home in a box” build occurred in Chattanooga, Tenn., at the Division I-AA Football Championships in December and in Indianapolis at the Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in March. During the Men’s Final Four April 1-3, three Habitat “Houses in a box” were constructed outside the NCAA National Office; a fourth house will be built in Indianapolis at a later date. A build is also being planned in conjunction with the College World Series.