Comets Take Part in Dedication of Pam Evans Smith Arena
Columbus, Ohio
On Saturday February 2nd, the Columbus comets were invited to represent Women's Professional Football at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio at an expo celebrating National Women in Sports Day. This poignant moment in Wittenberg's history was marked by the school's dedication of a new gym to the University’s former women's basketball coach Pam Evans Smith, who passed away in June of 2007 after a long battle with cancer.
As one of the premier women's basketball coaches in NCAA Division III, Smith turned the Wittenberg women's basketball program into one of the most successful programs in the country, with twelve 20 win seasons between 1989 and 2007. As the seven-time North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the year, she also compiled a 401-107 career record leading the Tigers to eight appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament and won 11 NCAC regular season championships.
Andrea Judy, the Comet who calls Springfield home, was asked to participate in the event after Wittenberg's current Asst. Coach Brittany Baum learned of the Columbus Comets from co-workers. “It's a great opportunity to show the diversity of women's sports. To have a women's professional football team participating in the expo and dedication is very exciting," remarked Baum
Comet players, Cristie Sabatucci, Kim Roberts, Sara Miller, and Andrea Judy mingled with the crowd sharing stories, passing out schedule cards and displaying photos and game footage. There was even the occasional pass or two to the adventurous participants and just about everyone remarking at one time or another, "I didn't know there was such a thing as women’s football!"
The Comets met a 7th grade girl from a local junior high school who plays for her school team. "I think that we just gave that little girl something great to look forward to,” Sabatucci said as the girl and her father walked away. “We never had that. Wow."
The Columbus Comets were very proud to be a part of such a remarkable event.
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