EIAC Moves Tournament Out of South Carolina

Columbia, SC - The Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (EIAC) has unanimously agreed to move the conference basketball tournament originally scheduled for March 2-4 at Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC to Jacksonville Florida. The schools elected to move the three-day conference tournament that attracts between 5,000 and 8,000 basketball fans as an expression of support for the NAACP economic sanctions against tourism in the state.

"I think it (the tournament) should be moved until the (confederate) flag is moved off the State House grounds," commented Willie Washington, Atheltic Director at Benedict College. "In fact, all of Benedict's coaches are writing letters to their respective representatives and we are registering students to vote as they enter the game, if they are notalready registered."

Local hotels have benefited greatly from the EIACconference touranment in the past. Especially the host hotels, that sponsor the receptions and other social events. Each team is given a minimum of 20 rooms for the players and coaching staff totaling 140-rooms per day. That number does not include booster clubs, fans and alumni of the various schools who traditionally travel with the teams.

The majority of the colleges with EIAC membership are located inSouth Carolina. Member schools include Allen University, Columbia, SC,Barber-Scotia College, Concord, NC, Benedict College, Columbia, SC,Claflin University, Orangeburg, SC, Edward Waters, Jacksonville, FL,Morris College, Sumter. SC and Voorhees College, Denmark, SC.

"College presidents of member institutions were unanimous inagreement to support the NAACP," stated Dr. Leonard E. Dawson, Chairmanof the Council of Presidents of the EIAC. "This issue is not only aneconomic one but a moral imperative for us as educational leaders."

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