FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CBB WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAMS TO HOST CLINIC

LEWISTON, Maine -- The Colby-Bates-Bowdoin women's soccer rivalry is one of fiercest in the country, but on Saturday, September 5th, the three teams will be on Pickard Field on the campus of Bowdoin College in Brunswick not only to participate in a preseason scrimmage, but also run a clinic. The three schools will combine to provide a free youth clinic from 9:30 to 11:00am which will be followed by scrimmages between the three schools. Children of all ages are invited to attend.

All three of the programs earned trips to the NCAA Division III National Tournament in 1997 and each should be in the hunt for another postseason bid in '98. Colby Head Coach Jen Holsten led a spirited charge to the brink of a regional championship in the team's first appearance in the NCAAs last season. Bates' Jim Murphy guided the Bobcats to a second straight bid in the NCAA tournament, having reached the Regional Finals in 1996. John Cullen took Bowdoin to its third straight trip to the tournament as the region's No. 2 seed.

All three of these coaches, plus the entire varsity roster of Colby, Bates and Bowdoin, will be in attendance.

"It is amazing that we have three such talented teams so close to each other," said Murphy, who also coaches women's basketball at Bates. "This is a great opportunity for Maine girls soccer players to meet these outstanding student-athletes and participate in a fun clinic to improve their skill."

Each participant will have the opportunity to work at four different stations, meeting 12 to 16 of the players from all three colleges who will be running drill stations to teach new techniques and help with suggestions for the participants. After the clinic, participants and parents are invited to stay and watch the teams and the players they just met playing in highly competitive scrimmages. Everyone is invited to bring cameras for photo opportunities with the players, who will be in uniform.