Elon University / Today at Elon / Student volunteers represent Elon at ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament
Coordinated by Associate Professor of Sports Management Shaina Dabbs, nearly 30 students assisted with game day operations, on-field promotions and other tournament celebrations throughout the five-day competition.
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Nearly 30 Elon students made the half-hour trip to Greensboro several times in early March to volunteer for the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament.
On the pitch, 15 teams went head-to-head during the March 1-5 competition, which featured thrilling finals and historic comebacks, culminating in Virginia Tech smashing the net for the first time in program history. Off the field, Elon students worked behind the scenes and supported Game Day to showcase 14 seamless basketball matchups and a variety of pre- and post-game tournament activities.
Shaina Dabbs, Associate Professor of Sports Management, helped facilitate student participation, building on a years-long relationship she has built with the ACC and its staff.
“This is a great experience for students to be part of a real, big event where they aren’t watching the event, but actually participating in the success of the event,” said Dabbs. “It takes all the content in the classroom and brings it to life on the pitch. It also allows students to build their resume and network with other people at the tournament and collaborate with the ACC.”
As part of their duties, the students helped orchestrate on-field promotions, conducted media ID checks, assisted with dressing room organization and pre-tournament setup, and helped host FanFest activities at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Tess Hawthorne sophomore, a sports management and marketing dual major, said she enjoyed her “awesome” experience, which consisted of wowing the crowd, throwing t-shirts and other free merchandise, and interacting with fans. As well as enjoying the tournament excitement, Hawthorne said her role has helped her further expand her professional network.
“When I came to Elon, I wanted to use this type of learning experience. To have the opportunity to work at such a big and well-known event in the sports industry at this moment in my life is incredible,” said Hawthorne. “Experiencing the energy and passion from the fans was rewarding knowing I had helped create it and watching it all come to life was surreal.”
The Sports Management Department has partnered with the ACC for the past five years to provide students like Hawthorne with the opportunity to work in a professional game-day environment. Dabbs sees the partnership as an ideal environment for students to grow professionally and gain insight into the demands of the sports industry.
“Our students had a great experience working on the event and were able to see firsthand all the moving parts that go into running a sporting event,” said Dabbs. “I can’t thank the volunteers and tournament directors enough. We have been fortunate to develop a great partnership with the ACC where we have had student interns at the conference and several alumni are currently working there. I have long seen the collaboration between our sports management department and the ACC as strong.”
Editor’s note: This story is part of the HealthEU series, which explores Elon programs, events and resources that promote integrated wellbeing across one or more dimensions. More information can be found on the HealthEU website.