Horizon League, Nelligan Sports Marketing Announce Renewal of U.S. Army Corporate Partnership for 2008-09

Sept. 23, 2008

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INDIANAPOLIS -- The Horizon League and Nelligan Sports Marketing announced Tuesday (Sept. 23) that the U.S. Army has agreed to an extension of its corporate partnership agreement for the 2008-09 academic year.

In the third year of its partnership, the U.S. Army will continue to be the presenting sponsor of the Horizon League's annual men's soccer, women's soccer, and baseball championships, which will be known as the "Horizon League (insert sport) Championship presented by the U.S. Army."

In addition, the U.S. Army again will be the presentor of the "2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration presented by the U.S. Army," which is the League's annual elementary school arts, essay and music contest held in each of the 10 member schools' local communities.

The U.S. Army also will retain its role as title sponsor of the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week and Scholar-Athlete of the Month awards for men and women.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with the U.S. Army," said Horizon League Commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone. "Their support has enabled us to improve our championships in addition to recognizing our deserving student-athletes' academic performance and enhancing our community service initiatives."

"The Horizon League embodies teamwork, strength and perseverance ... all qualities that are also embraced by the Army's Warrior Ethos and values of a Soldier," said Patrick Callahan, Management Supervisor with the Army's advertising agency - McCann Erickson. "We are proud to be in our third year of partnering with this outstanding league and its many dedicated men and women student-athletes."

Comprised of 10 public and private institutions of higher learning, the Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference that sponsors 19 intercollegiate championships and is headquartered in Indianapolis. The League and its member institutions aspire to teach young people, through athletic competition, the value of learning, service to others and personal responsibility.

Member institutions of the Horizon League are Butler University (Indianapolis), Cleveland State University, the University of Detroit Mercy, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, Valparaiso (Ind.) University, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio) and Youngstown (Ohio) State University.

Horizon League teams have enjoyed national success in a variety of sports in recent years, most notably in men's basketball, in which its teams have advanced to the Regional semi-finals of the NCAA Championship three times in the past seven seasons.

For more information about the Horizon League, log onto www.horizonleague.org.

Nelligan Sports Marketing, Inc. provides sales and marketing expertise for sports properties worldwide. NSM is dedicated to building long-term relationships with clients through exceptional management of the properties represented and by maximizing revenue growth through their corporate relationships.

In addition to the Horizon League, NSM represents other elite college properties, including the Pac-10 Conference, Patriot League, Brown University, Colorado State University, Fairfield University, Florida Atlantic University, Indiana State University, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, University of Louisville, Marquette University, Middle Tennessee State University, Monmouth University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Providence College, Rutgers University, West Virginia University, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the Colonial Athletic Association and its twelve member institutions, and Champs Sports Bowl and Capital One Bowl.

For more information about Nelligan Sports Marketing, please visit www.nelligansports.com.