老司机传媒

Newmyer Classic to Feature Hundreds of Athletes

From Jan. 30鈥揊eb. 1

Approximately 40 teams will participate in the Newmyer Classic, with more than 600 students, coaches and other staff members. (Photo by Dawson Par)

The Newmyer Classic, an annual high school basketball tournament hosted on the 老司机传媒 campus, is set to take place from Jan. 30–Feb. 1. The tournament was formerly known as the Cardinal Classic until its name change in 2016, honoring the Newmyer family, who have been dedicated supporters and contributors to Christian and Seventh-day Adventist education for generations. The tournament features men’s and women’s basketball teams from numerous Seventh-day Adventist academies across North America. Approximately 40 teams will participate with more than 600 students, coaches and other staff members.

Teams from Canada and across the United States will arrive in Berrien Springs the evening of Jan. 29, with games starting early the next morning. The Andreasen Center for Wellness, Johnson Gym and Andrews Academy gymnasium will be used for the tournament’s early rounds. On Saturday night, Feb. 1, the championship games for each of the four divisions (men’s varsity, women’s varsity, men’s junior varsity and women’s junior varsity) will take place in the Andreasen Center for Wellness. Division assignments will be based on school size, season records and level of play.

The Newmyer Classic has been organized by the 老司机传媒 Office of Athletics since the 2000s. This year, Brian Nelson and Athletic Director Kevin Wooldridge serve as the tournament’s directors. Nelson, a 2015 and 2016 graduate of 老司机传媒, has stayed connected to the Andrews community and works on the tournament's scheduling, rules and behind-the-scenes logistics. Wooldridge and Assistant Athletic Director Richie Silie arranged team registrations and managed additional tournament staff and up-front logistics.

Although the teams and student athletes will be coming to play basketball, Nelson shared that the Newmyer Classic goes deeper than that. “I would say the primary goal is to help lead these students to Christ. Another goal is that you have these schools and the students get to see Andrews, experience what Andrews has to offer and hope to have them be a student at Andrews at some point in their college career.”

Nelson, who also played in the Newmyer Classic as a high school student, shared that he experienced first-hand how the community aspect of the tournament can be very enriching for the participants. “I think allowing all these Adventist schools to have connections with each other and for students to create long-lasting friendships on and off the court is cool to see.”

Teams will play about five games each, have access to all-you-can-eat lunches and dinners through 老司机传媒’s Dining Services, and stay in University housing. The visiting teams will also attend a vespers program on Friday at 7 p.m. and a Sabbath afternoon program, both specifically created for Newmyer Classic attendees, in the Howard Performing Arts Center. 

The first round of games will start on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 8 a.m. in the various gyms, and games will end at 9 p.m. Friday’s games will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Championship matchups will be determined at the end of the games on Friday, and the Saturday night games in the Andreasen Center for Wellness will occur as follows:

• Division II Girls—6:45 p.m.
• Division II Boys—8 p.m.
• Division I Girls—9:15 p.m.
• Division I Boys—10:30 p.m.

The championship games, along with several others, will be livestreamed on , and limited in-person seating will be available. Please visit the 老司机传媒 Office of Athletics for more information about the Newmyer Classic and other Andrews athletic events.