ASHLAND — The voice every college basketball fan knows and loves is coming to Ashland.
Legendary college basketball coach and current ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla will be the keynote speaker for the Ashland University men's basketball fundraising event at Mount Vernon Estates on Thursday, Oct. 29.
'A Night with Fran Fraschilla’ is presented by the Mount Vernon Estate and will start with a VIP Cocktail Hour at 6 p.m., where special ticket holders can meet Frachilla and other special guests before the event officially kicks off at 7 p.m. with cocktails, silent raffles, tip boards, a dinner and a meet and greet with the Ashland University men's basketball team.
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Tickets are available now and can be reserved through Monday, Oct. 26. VIP tables are on sale for $1,000 and include seven guests per table. $100 individual tickets are also available. Both can be purchased here.
Last year, the Eagles brought in Ohio basketball legend Clark Kellogg.
“Clark was outstanding,” Ashland University Men's Basketball Coach John Ellenwood said. “Great speaker, great message and such a great personality. I was really happy that the people around here got a great night with a guy who is an Ohio guy and it was great for our players to interact with someone who is so successful in life.”
In the second year of the event, the AU men’s basketball program raised enough money to cover operational costs for the entire season and even into the following year. It has allowed them to plan things well in advance.
“It is a sizable amount of money for us as a basketball program,” Ellenwood said. “It is our big fundraiser. We do some great things with that with much of it centered around travel. We can go overseas, go on our Florida trip and this year, we will be going to Puerto Rico. Next year, we will go overseas as a team.”
The funds allow the Eagles to go on trips that allow them to practice together as a team for a short amount of time over the summer while giving them a headstart in building team chemistry with activities like paintballing and team bonding trips to Lake Erie. The funds also help purchase nicer gear for the players, which is always a plus for college kids.
“He is an unreal personality,” Ellenwood said. “He is an energetic person and is going to be one of the best speakers we have had in this event. He is a great basketball mind and while people may not recognize him by face, any college basketball fan knows him by voice. His work during March Madness as a color commentator is unmatched.”
Fraschilla’s current role is with ESPN as a college basketball commentator, but he has a deep background in coaching at the college level. He spent 23 years on the sidelines and went 176-99 during his career. In 1994-95, he was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year when he led the Manhattan College program.
Later, he was the head coach at St. John’s University and University of New Mexico before embarking in a broadcast career with ESPN in 2003. Before becoming a head coach, Fraschilla was an assistant at the University of Rhode Island, Ohio University, Ohio State University and Providence College, so his Ohio ties run deep.
“He is a great mind for basketball and basketball coaches everywhere,” Ellenwood said. “This guy is as sharp of a mind as there is and has Ohio ties. He has great stories and is anxious to get here. He loves this area of the country because it is a great sports area. It should be a tremendous night.”
And it will be an even better week for the Eagles. Frachilla is going to be more hands on before the event. The day before the fundraiser, Frachilla is flying in and will be spending the day with the AU men’s basketball team where he will attend practice and will be available all day for the Eagles and the coaching staff.
“I am anxious to pick his brain,” Ellenwood said. “Originally, we weren’t going to have practice that day, but we cannot pass up the opportunity to hear from Fran and have him watch our team. He is going to give great advice and bring great ideas with a different perspective. Plus, he is adamant about talking to our players and I know he is going to have a great message.”
Frachilla will be the third speaker of the series after Bob Huggins and Kellogg headed up the first two events. The series has grown into something even Ellenwood could never have imagined.
“The first year was all shock,” Ellenwood said. “We didn’t realize it was going to be that special. Last year was all about keeping the momentum going and now, people are realizing this is an annual thing and it is going to keep getting better and better. This is becoming a premier fundraising event for our university and not just basketball. It is becoming a tradition.”
It is also growing in support as local businesses and corporations are getting more and more involved with the event through sponsorships.
“The thing we want to do is make sure this gets better from year to year and this year, we expanded it to corporate sponsorships,” Ellenwood said. “I think it is great for not only the corporations, but our players. We want our players to get in front of people that are doing well in the community. Our guys are great hard workers and great young men and it could lead to internships and jobs. If our guys stick around this area after graduation, we want them to have those connections.”
The Eagles have secured much-appreciated sponsorships from Adena Construction, B.A Schrock Financial Group (courtesy of Keith Lockwood), Don M. Graham and Associates Comprehensive Financial Services and Park National Bank.
“It is a great opportunity for them to get access before the event even starts and reward those in their own communities,” Ellenwood said. “It will be a nice night out for them to enjoy a great event.”
For any questions about the event, contact Brook Turson at bturson1@ashland.edu.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: ESPN's Fran Fraschilla to speak at Ashland University basketball fundraiser