Written for Sport Tours International and originally published here:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200511232524/http://sporttours.net/news/2018/2018PRClassic
High-level women’s college basketball returns to Puerto Rico in 2018 with an exciting tournament in December organized by Sport Tours International. The Puerto Rico Classic features four teams that will play over three days, Dec. 19 to 21, at Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo. The tournament field includes Grambling State, South Dakota, Loyola Marymount, and the 2018 WNIT Champions, Indiana.
Grambling’s successful 2017-18 season included winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament. The championship provided the Tigers with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. After falling in the first round of the NCAAs to second-seeded powerhouse Baylor, Grambling ended the season with a 19-14 record. The team’s banner year also included a quadruple-double by guard Shakyla Hill who became only the fourth player in NCAA women’s basketball history to perform that feat. Hill returns for her senior campaign in 2018-19.
South Dakota also had a stellar run in 2017-18. The Coyotes finished 29-7 and became the first Summit League regular-season champion to go undefeated since 1994. South Dakota coach Dawn Plitzuweit was named the 2018 Summit League Coach of the Year. She has a 52-16 record in her two seasons as head coach of the Coyotes.
Loyola Marymount of the West Coast Conference began 2017-18 with a 7-0 record and went on to win 19 games, the highest win total for the program since 2006-07. The Lions received a lot of help from WCC Newcomer of the Year, guard Gabby Green, a transfer from the Pac-12’s California. Green will back in 2018-19 as a redshirt senior.
Indiana capped last season with a thrilling WNIT title win over the ACC’s Virginia Tech in front of a record home-court crowd of 13,007. The Hoosiers ended the season with a 23-13 record, mainly from the efforts of senior guard Tyra Buss who was invited to the WNBA Connecticut Sun’s training camp. Indiana returns standout second-year guard Jaelynn Penn who averaged 10.8 points per game her freshman year and earned a place on the 2017-18 Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Fan packages are available here.
Sport Tours began organizing events in Puerto Rico in 1987. Teams from all over the nation have had the opportunity to compete against stellar opponents in a tropical setting buoyed by the warm hospitality of Puerto Rico. Players, coaches, and fans enjoy the luxury of an outstanding host hotel, beautiful beaches, and the historical sites of Puerto Rico during tournament trips.
The Puerto Rico Classic serves as excellent preparation for tournament season. For more information, visit SportTours.net and keep up-to-date on Twitter and Instagram: @SportTours.