• Hoops For Heroes Photo Gallery
By Karlee Lursen, OVC Media Relations Intern
A total of 16 military veterans and their families were honored at the 2016 OVC Basketball Championship through the sixth annual Hoops for Heroes program.
The Hoops for Heroes initiative was created by OVC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as a way to honor military men and women in OVC communities. During each school year the SAAC members raise money to sponsor sending at least one service person to the OVC Tournament, along with his or her family. Each honoree receives a two-night hotel stay in Nashville, up to four tickets to Friday and Saturday’s tournament sessions as well as gas and meal gift cards.
Each school’s SAAC raises money to sponsor its chosen Veteran in their own way. Eastern Illinois raised money by hosting a talent show in which each sports team performed a skit and a panel of judges chose a winner, the proceeds from the show went towards sponsoring the Veteran. Austin Peay hosted a Spaghetti dinner in order to raise funds. Many schools raise money during an athletic event in order to sponsor their hero.
“The OVC is proud to honor our military veterans and families, who are true inspirations to all of us and deserve this recognition,” said Scott Krapf, OVC Assistant Commissioner and OVC SAAC liaison. “The OVC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee should be commended for their work to help make the Hoops for Heroes program a success.”
Before tip-off of Friday night's men's semifinal game and again before each the men's and women's championship games on Saturday, military service men and women were brought to center court and honored for their service. During each presentation, the honorees received a long, standing ovation from the crowd as they received a handshake and small gift from the Commissioner.
Corey Scates was the representative from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Scates has spent 26 years and counting in the military and has been an officer for all but about four years in the service. He has served in a variety of positions including platoon leader, company commander and brigade staff leader.
“I have been deployed twice, the first time was to Afghanistan in 2005-06 and then again in 2009-10,” Scates said. “I have done multiple overseas rotations with the National Guard doing two week deployments here and there. My upcoming six-month deployment tour of duty will be to Bulgaria. I will be doing quality control at the Brigade headquarters as we do construction on training bases.”
Scates grew up in the Martin area and graduated from UT Martin in 1995. He worked as a student athletic trainer when he was in school, working with women’s basketball and football. After graduation Scates moved to the Memphis area for 18 years before moving back in September 2014 when he was hired again to be a certified trainer with the university; as a staff athletic trainer he has worked with women’s basketball and baseball.
Scates voiced his appreciation of receiving this honor, “It means a great deal for me to be selected, I am so proud and honored to serve my country and I am honored to be recognized by UT Martin for my service, not only for serving my country but being their Hoops for Heroes representative as well.”
In addition to being honored at the OVC Tournament, each representative was recognized on the campus of the school that sponsored him or her at a basketball game or related event.
2016 Hoops for Heroes Honorees
Austin Peay – Tyrone Lawrence and Brianna Clayborne
Belmont – Zak Pantaleo
Eastern Illinois – Skylar Farris and Tim Worman
Eastern Kentucky – Tony Hoskins
Jacksonville State – Travis Chambers
Morehead State – Brad Hensley
Murray State – Kyle Finley
Southeast Missouri – John Barton
SIUE – Adeola Adewusi
Tennessee State – Mikeya Vance
Tennessee Tech – Howard Armstrong
UT Martin – Corey Scates
Wounded Warriors – Rockey Rushing and Santana Jackson