PEORIA, Ill. -- Fans will have their first chance to see the 2010-11 Bradley women's basketball team, when both the women's and men's squads take part in Hoopla on The Hilltop, Friday, Oct. 15. The hour-long Midnight Madness-style event will be held in the University's new on-campus arena and will be the first of several preseason events before the women's basketball team's season opener against Butler on Nov. 13.
Hoopla on The Hilltop will be a featured event during Bradley University's Homecoming schedule and will include spotlighted introductions of the 2010-11 basketball teams, a halfcourt shot for $10,000 for a lucky contestant and games involving the current players and fans. The event will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15 and tickets for the event are $5 for the general public and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff.
The seventh annual Bids-for-the-Braves Athletic Benefit will be held Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Par-A-Dice Hotel in East Peoria. Combining many of the popular elements of the former Bradley Basketball Preseason Gala and the Bids for the Braves Auction, the Bids for the Braves Athletic Benefit is the largest single fund-raising event benefitting Bradley Athletics. Last year's event was a sell out and helped generate more than $90,000.
The 2010 Bids for the Braves Athletic Benefit will feature the introduction of the 2010-11 Bradley women's and men's basketball teams, remarks from head coaches Paula Buscher and Jim Les and viewing of Dave Snell's popular preseason videos, as well as live and silent auctions featuring a wide range of unique items. Seating is limited and tickets for the 2010 event are $90 for Braves Club members and $100 for the general public. To make reservations, donate an item or for more information, visit the Braves Club page online at BradleyBraves.com or call the Braves Club Office at (309) 677-2667.
The new on-campus arena will also allow the return of the annual Red-White Scrimmage, which is slated for Sunday, Oct. 24. The Red-White Scrimmage will cap a busy day of activity for Bradley Athletics: following the 2 p.m. Missouri Valley Conference soccer game between the Braves and league preseason favorite Evansville at Shea Stadium, Bradley will host the popular Chili Supper beginning at 4:30 in the new arena. The Red-White Scrimmage will follow at 6 p.m. and will feature intrasquad games by both the women's and men's basketball teams. Tickets for the Red-White Scrimmage are $10 for the general public, $5 for Bradley University faculty and staff and free for Bradley University students; and the basketball tickets may be used for free admission to the Oct. 24 soccer game versus Evansville.
The first of two women's basketball exhibition games will be held, Monday, Nov. 1 against Quincy at 7:05 p.m. in the new arena. The Braves will wrap up the exhibition portion of the schedule against defending NCAA Division III national champion Washington (Mo.) Saturday, Nov. 6 at 2:05 p.m. as part of a day-night doubleheader with the men's basketball team.
Season tickets for the 2010-11 women's basketball campaign are $75 for the general public and $30 for Bradley faculty and staff and currently available for purchase at the new arena Box Office (1601 W. Main Street). Tickets for Hoopla on the Hilltop and the Red-White Scrimmage will go on sale Sept. 27.
Bradley announced a Personal Seat Option ticket plan for all events in the new arena in May and the maximum 500 seats in the plan will be available to PSO owners for purchase for the three men's basketball events played on campus. Individual PSO's in the arena's main seating bowl are available for $500 each, while PSO Gold seats on the arena floor are available for $1,000 each. A PSO, which includes women's basketball and volleyball season tickets, allows the owner the opportunity to purchase tickets for all events, excluding commencement ceremonies, in the new arena from Aug. 1, 2010 through July 31, 2011 in the same seats. In addition to the volleyball and women's basketball games, events available in the PSO plan to date include the Sept. 25 Weezer concert, the Midnight Madness basketball event Oct. 15, Jay Leno's Oct. 16 Homecoming performance, the Oct. 24 Red-White Scrimmage and the Nov. 6 men's basketball exhibition versus Quincy.
