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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – The Shippensburg University Lady Raider Basketball program will open its 2009-10 season by taking part in the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic in Orlando, Fla. from November 6-8. The tournament, now in its 13th year, includes Division II teams from around the country and features some of the nation's most exciting and competitive college basketball.

The women's tournament field will include Gannon, Northeastern State, Shippensburg, Southern New Hampshire, Stonehill and the University of North Alabama. The Classic, which is produced with the support of the NCAA Division II Commissioners Association, regularly features schools ranked in the Division II Top 25 basketball poll.

“Disney's Division II Tip-Off Classic has become one of the best Division II men's and women's tournaments in the country," said Don Landry, former president of the Division II Commissioners Association and Tip-Off Classic tournament director. “The combination of the strong field of teams and Disney experience makes this an attractive tournament destination to our colleges and universities.”

Shippensburg will be looking to rebound in the 2009-10 campaign after concluding the 2008-09 season with a 12-15 record while playing what was arguably the toughest schedule in the Atlantic Region. Shippensburg played a total of nine teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the national runner-up (Franklin Pierce) and six teams from the Atlantic Region, as well as five conference champions (UDC, Charleston, Philadelphia, Indiana (Pa.) and Franklin Pierce). The total combined record of Shippensburg's non-conference opponents was 276-120 (.697), and none of those 13 teams had fewer than 10 victories.

The Lady Raiders, now battle-tested, are looking to excel in their second season as a PSAC Eastern Division member while returning four of their five starters and nine letterwinners to this year's squad. Among those performers includes senior Lauren Beckley, the reigning PSAC Eastern Division Player of the Year and an athlete who was named a Division II All-American as a sophomore. Beckley and junior forward Kasey Gardner played for separate teams in Italy during the summer and have entered the fall in outstanding shape. Gardner will be another complement to Beckley at forward.

Head coach Kristy Trn, now in her 11th season as the team's head coach, guided the Lady Raiders as high as No. 15 in the nation last season, earning the team's first national ranking since Feb. 5, 2002. She remains the winningest coach in Lady Raider basketball history, as the two-time PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year has a career record of 181-106 overall and a mark of 71-51 in divisional play.

Travel packages that include tournament tickets for Disney's Division II Tip-Off Classic are on sale now and available through Anthony Travel, the Official Travel Planner for the tournament. Fans can make their reservations by visiting AnthonyTravel.com and search DII or by calling (888) 632-6951.

Additional information on the tournament can be found on the Disney's Wide World Sports Web site, DisneySports.com.