TSU's Williams Speaks at Coaches Versus Cancer Luncheon

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- On Tuesday, Tennessee State’s Travis Williams joined other local men’s basketball head coaches for the Third Annual Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Luncheon held at the Vanderbilt Student Life Center.

 

The event was presented by Northwestern Mutual, The Pruitt Financial Group and ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the coaches answering questions during the last hour. Williams was joined onstage by Lipscomb’s Casey Alexander, Belmont’s Rick Byrd, Middle Tennessee’s Kermit Davis, Austin Peay’s Dave Loos, Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings and Tennessee’s Cuonzo Martin.

 

Among the topics covered by the coaches were the early season outlooks on their respective programs to which Williams said:

 

“We have a lot of new guys on this year’s team, but they have done everything that the coaches have asked of them so far. All of our players are giving maximum effort, listening to the coaches and working hard in the gym and classroom.”

 

The topic of the new NCAA rules and regulations were brought up as well as the news that former Tennessee State forward Robert Covington had made the Houston Rockets’ final roster.

 

“When you look at Robert Covington, you see a phenomenal young man who worked his way from a six-foot-seven, 175 pound guy that no big school wanted, into an NBA Player. He epitomizes what it means to have a dream, work hard and be successful.”

 

The event ended with questions from the audience and the announcement of the winners of the silent auction.

 

The Coaches vs. Cancer program is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs.

 

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