Even though the college students won’t return for a couple more weeks, Union’s campus is about to get a major infusion of energy. From July 29 to August 2, the top Seventh-day Adventist high school basketball players from across North America will come together to train, compete, and celebrate their God-given talents during the second annual AdventistHoops All-American Weekend.
“Seeing some of the best players in the country on our campus is something we’re really looking forward to,” said Drew Mekelburg, Union’s athletic director. “We love the community that we’ve grown. We love the camaraderie and also getting to interact with other Adventist coaches.”
Unlike the basketball tournament Union hosts each winter, these students won’t arrive as established teams. Approximately 50 students who were selected by coaches will have just a few days to build chemistry and coordination with new teammates while learning from college coaches through skills clinics, practices, scrimmages, workshops, and seminars designed to improve both their basketball IQ and leadership abilities.
Beyond the competition and clinic, the student-athletes will also participate in professional photo and video shoots — the kind of experience that’s common for elite athletes at large secular schools but that few Adventist academies have the resources for. The days will be bookended with worship services featuring Adrian Hargrove, a Pacific Union College alumnus who is now the regional director for Boys and Girls Clubs of North Alabama, as well as Union’s own Buell Fogg, Matt Gal and Mollie Dupper.
The inaugural AdventistHoops All-American Weekend was held at La Sierra University last year. The organizers plan to rotate between the universities that offer varsity athletics. Only four of this year’s athletes are from the Mid-America Union, and while all of the participants are Adventist, not all attend Adventist high schools, making this a great opportunity to recruit students who may not have otherwise scheduled a campus visit.
“Being able to host events like this and Acrofest makes us even more grateful for the AdventHealth Complex and for the alumni and friends who helped make it possible,” said Ryan Teller, vice president for enrollment management. “In the past, we would have had to rent facilities and bus visitors around Lincoln. Now, when someone asks us to host an athletic clinic that brings prospective students and their families to campus, it’s easier than ever to say ‘yes.’”
If you’d like to experience the excitement, you can watch the games in person or on the AdventistHoops YouTube channel on Saturday evening. Beginning at 8:45 p.m., the Thunderdome will come alive with men’s and women’s all-star games, a women’s three-point contest, and a slam dunk contest.