Join Our Team -- Cancer Walk: October 3rd!

The Niagara University Swimming & Diving Team will be participating in a WALK to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.  The event is this Sunday - October 3rd. The Team is seeking donations to this worthy cause -- and have a target to raise $1,000 -- here's a link to how the PURPLE PARENTS can participate:


LINK:  THE PURPLE EAGLES RAISING AWARENESS FOR BREAST CANCER

First Meet -- Less Than 2 Weeks Away!

The first meet of the 2010-2011 season for our Niagara University Swimming & Diving Team is just around the corner!  Our sons and daughters will be competing in the Western New York Invitational -- Saturday, October 9th -- on the University at Buffalo campus.  The meet has a Morning Session (starts at 10 AM) and an Afternoon Session which begins at (3 PM).  In the background of this photo you'll see the entrance to UB's Alumni Arena which houses their baskeball arena and pool.  Please be aware that it's UB's Homecoming & Parents Weekend -- so parking will be an issue, especially for the afternoon session -- with the football crowd.  Hope to see a few of the PURPLE PARENTS at the meet!

Official Hotel Suggestions for MAAC Championships

Thought we'd get this discussion going...  With the MAAC Championships scheduled for February 17th to the 19th in Buffalo (isn't this a nice photo of downtown Buffalo!) - it's never to early to start talking with a few hotels to see what type of deal they would give us to stay at their facility.  So, what are your suggestions as to where the "PURPLE PARENTS" should stay?

This is Comforting...

Found this today -- researchers in Spain have released a report that swimming in chlorinated pools can lead to cancer. Doesn't everything these days! Researchers at the Barcelona-based Centre Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) and Research Institute Del Mar studied changes in indicators of mutagenicity of -- permanent mutation of the DNA -- among a group of swimmers in an indoor chlorinated pool.  "The evidence of genotoxic effects were observed in 49 healthy adults after swimming for 40 minutes in a chlorinated indoor pool," CREAL said in a statement on Monday.  I trust Niagara University is on top of these types of things -- and USA Swimming will respond accordingly. Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  SWIMMING IN CHLORINE

Yes, Tickets Now On Sale!

They sure don't waste any time in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference!  Just was alerted to the fact that tickets go on sale Monday for the 2011 MAAC Swimming & Diving Championships at the Burt Flickinger Aquatic Center in Buffalo.  Here's the detail:  

Tickets for the 2011 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships will go on sale on Monday, September 13, at 12:00pm.

The tickets have a new pricing structure for this year's event:

All-Session pass: $50

Session I (Thursday day): $10 adults/$5 students

Session II (Thursday evening): $15 adults/$5 students

Session III (Friday day): $10 adults/$5 students

Session IV (Friday evening): $15 adults/$5 students

Session V (Saturday day): $10 adults/$5 students

Session VI (Saturday evening): $25 adults/$5 students

Tickets are available through TicketLeap at https://maac.ticketleap.net/buy-tickets/college/maac-2011-mens--womens-swimming--diving-championships/buffalo/6FD74B92-8F6F-4094-95D1-6139807A0A8.  Tickets will also be sold at the event site.

Links to TicketLeap and MAAC Championship information can be found on the MAAC website at www.maacsports.com.

Fall Break -- October 11th & 12th

Coach Nigro mentioned -- when we dropped off Brady a couple of weeks ago --  that "team members" would have the option of coming home for a couple of days after the Western New York Invitational Meet (Saturday, October 9th).  Niagara University does not have classes on Monday or Tuesday - the 11th and 12th.  Please be sure to ask your son or daughter to confirm whether this is still the case...

"North America's Team"

The 45 members of this year's Niagara University Swimming & Diving Team hail from 12 States and Canada.  New York leads the way with 30 team members, followed by 2 team members each from; California, Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada.  Nine other states are represented on this team; Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey and Texas.  The longest "commute" to swim practice belongs to a couple of Californians; Adrienne Thomas (Vacaville, CA) - 2,627 miles and Evinn Drusys (Yucaipa, CA) - 2,537 miles!  By the way, Mapquest says it's only a 39 hour car ride to campus for these two!!!

Welcome Niagara University Swim & Dive Parents!

This blog -- PURPLE PARENTS -- is for you!  It's an attempt to create a platform from which we can communicate what's going on with our team -- from the parents perspective -- the "stuff" we need to know.  Our names are Jim and Susan Small and we have a freshman swimmer "Brady" on the team this year.  We've done this type of thing for previous teams in the past and Coach Nigro gave it his blessing.  When you get a free moment, please take a look around the blog -- click on the links.  Please feel free to send us an email with any information you'd like to see posted on the blog. Our Purple Parents email address is:  thepurpleparents@gmail.com  And, our URL for this site is: www.purpleparents.com

The MAAC Championships New Home!

It was announced last month that the site for the 2011 MAAC Swimming & Diving Championships will be the Burt  Flickinger Aquatic Center in downtown Buffalo.  Niagara University and Canisius College will co-host the event.  The MAAC Swimming & Diving Championships begin on Thursday, February 17th and conclude on Saturday, February 19th.

Niagara University Family Weekend

The 55th annual Family Weekend at Niagara University is scheduled for October 22nd - 24th.  That Friday, the 22nd, our student-athletes have a HOME MEET against SUNY Fredonia @ 5 PM.  Here's a link to all of the Family Weekend activities:


LINK:  55TH ANNUAL FAMILY WEEKEND

First Meet: Western New York Invitational

Saturday, October 9th -- the Purple Eagles will open their 2010-2011 season at  the Western New York Invitational. The meet will be held at the Alumni Arena Natatorium on the University at Buffalo campus.  Teams competing;  Niagara, Canisius, St. Bonaventure, Bingamton and Buffalo.  There are two sessions -- the morning session starts at 10 AM and the afternoon session starts at 4 PM.  In between sessions -- the Purple Eagles will be relaxing and having lunch at an area Mall -- which isn't too far from the Natatorium.  Last year, the Parents went to the same Mall and joined the team in the Mall's Food Court for lunch.  We'll post the Mall's location once we receive the information.   Stay tuned!

Niagara Sports Dinner - Friday, September 17th!

The 2010 Niagara Sports Dinner is a week from this Friday. Over the past 12 years, the funds raised at this annual event have enhanced the game fields on the Niagara University campus, renovated the natatorium and underwritten special projects to benefit the strength training and sports medicine programs for the Niagara student-athletes. The proceeds from this year’s event will help to renovate the O’Malley Weight Room. The common theme of the list of special projects -- the impact has been felt by the Niagara University student-athletes.  The Niagara Sports Dinner will take place on Friday, Sept. 17^th at Antonio's Banquet and Conference Center, located at 7708 Niagara Falls Blvd. in Niagara Falls, N.Y. The evening will include a silent and basket auction, $1500 cash raffle and sit-down dinner. Auction items include

·        One year membership to Gold’s Gym

·        Helicopter Ride over the falls from Niagara Helicopters Limited

·        Two Niagara University Theatre 2010-11 Season Passes

·        Complimentary foursome from the Sheldridge Country Club

·        One night stay at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo

The event will also feature speeches by current student-athletes and former Purple Eagle Dr. Jon Marshall (Men’s Hockey - ’00).  In addition to the silent and basket auctions, Niagara supporters will have the chance to bid on select travel packages online now through September 16^th. For package descriptions and bidding information click here.  To purchase tickets for the 2010 Niagara Sports Dinner and register online click here or download and mail the registration form. If you have any questions, please call or email Mary Matiash in the Athletics Department at 716-286-8600 or mem@niagara.edu.