The Horizon League Network, in conjunction with the Horizon League, will name the conference's No. 1 student section at the conclusion of the 2009-10 men's basketball regular season. The winning section will be announced live on HLN March 1, and awarded the inaugural traveling trophy.
The HLN Student Section Challenge will begin on Jan. 2 with Milwaukee visiting No. Butler and finish with Detroit at Youngstown State on Feb. 27. The Titans' Bracket Busters game on Feb. 20 – with the opponent to be named at the beginning of that month – will be the designated HLN Student Section Challenge contest at Calihan Hall.
Within that span, HLN staff and/or League representatives will visit each campus for one game to evaluate that school's student section. Criteria for the challenge revolves around enthusiasm, originality, good sportsmanship and overall atmosphere.
In addition to naming the League's top section, one student from each school will be chosen to represent his or her campus constituents in a drawing to win hotel accommodations and two tickets to the 2010 Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship game. The winner will be drawn live on HLN along with the announcement of the winning student section.
“We are excited about working with HLN in this yearly challenge,” Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone said. “I have no doubt that our students will embrace this as an annual tradition.”
The Horizon League Network is in its fourth year of operation and in 2008-09 streamed more than 400 live events. HLN is scheduled to show over 120 men's basketball games this season, free of charge, as it looks to surpass its 1,500th overall webcast in 2010.
For more details regarding the HLN Student Section Challenge, visit www.HorizonLeagueNetwork.tv and click on the challenge logo.
Here's the HLN Student Section Challenge Schedule:
Jan. 2: Milwaukee at Butler
Jan. 9: Green Bay at Milwaukee
Jan. 21: Butler at Loyola
Jan. 23: Butler at UIC
Jan. 30: Loyola at Wright State
Feb. 6: Detroit at Valparaiso
Feb. 13: Butler at Cleveland State
Feb. 16: Cleveland State at Green Bay
Feb. 20: TBA at Detroit (BracketBuster Game)
Feb. 27: Detroit at Youngstown State
