Tribe Releases 2008 Spring Schedule

W&M will host its annual Alumnae Weekend along with the Stix for Nix 5K and Clinic benefits, April 12-13.

03/20/08 6:00PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - William and Mary head field hockey coach Peel Hawthorne announced the Tribe’s 2008 spring schedule. The College will host a pair of home tournaments highlighted by its Alumnae Weekend and a benefit for former Tribe standout Jessica Nixon, April 12-13. All scrimmages are free and open to the public. Spring field hockey competitions are a combination of full-field 11-on-11 and half-field 7-on-7.

The Tribe’s Alumnae Weekend will begin on April 12 with the Stix for Nix 5K. Registration for the event that will start at Busch Field begins at 8 a.m. Click HERE to register on line or visit Active.com.

The first annual Stix for Nix Fun Run/5K will benefit former Tribe standout and 2003 graduate of the College, Jessica Nixon. The event will work its way through the beautiful campus of William and Mary and be hosted by former mem-bers of the Tribe field hockey team in an effort to raise money for Jessica’s fight against cancer. Stix for Nix is an organization made up of friends and family of Jessica Nixon. Its goal is to share love and support for Jessica as well as raise awareness as she courageously fights a battle with cancer. To learn more about Jessica and Stix for Nix, visit www.StixforNix.org.

Nixon was a Tribe field hockey player from 1999-2003 and helped lead the team to two NCAA appearances during her career. She was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in November of 2006 at the age of 25. She underwent six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation to prepare for surgery to remove a large segment of her colon. After taking two months to recover, she was back at work. Nixon followed up with more chemotherapy to make certain there were no other cancer cells milling around. However, three months later, in November of 2007, her follow up scans brought more bad news that the cancer had spread. She is back on chemotherapy and fighting the cancer one day at a time.

The following day, W&M coaches and former Tribe players in coaching ranks, including coaches from Stanford, VCU, Davidson, Monmouth, American International College and Lafayette High School, will take part in the Stix for Nix Hockey Clinic. The event is open to all ages and will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information visit, www.radathletics.com.

The Alumnae weekend will also include a tournament featuring teams from the College, a W&M Alumnae team, Rad-ford, VCU and Davidson. The games will be played at Busch Field from 10:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. on April 12.

The Tribe will open its spring schedule in Durham, N.C., at the Duke Tournament, on March 22. The event will begin at 10 a.m. and run through 3:30 p.m. The teams competing in the event will include W&M, Duke, North Carolina, Appalachian State, Wake Forest and American.

The following weekend, March 29, the Tribe will host its first of two home tournaments. Competition will begin at 10 a.m. at Busch Field with W&M, Duke, Old Dominion, American, Longwood and VCU taking part in the event.

The Tribe will have a pair of scrimmages on the road against Old Dominion and Richmond during the spring. The College will battle the Monarchs are April 5 at 3:30 p.m. in Norfolk, before facing the Spiders at noon on April 19 in Richmond.