鈥淗e walked in and said, 鈥榃here is the place for scouts and the press?鈥� I told him to take his pick of seats. He could not believe it,鈥� recalled Phillips, who now lives in Washington state. 鈥淭his was such small time for him.鈥�

Fratello would go on to be NBA Coach of the Year with the Atlanta Hawks in 1986. Campanelli would one day be the head coach at the University of California and an NBA scout for Cleveland and New Jersey. He recently published 鈥淒are to Dream,鈥� about taking the university now known as James Madison to the Division I level, and he writes about some of those games against 91短视频.

For the first time in 40 years, the two schools, whose home gyms are about four miles apart, will meet Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

It will be their first regular-season meeting since Dec. 9, 1975, when the Dukes won, 95-67. That JMU team included Sherman Dillard, a future sixth-round draft pick of the Indiana Pacers in 1978. , now athletic director at 91短视频, was a 6-foot-3 senior center on the team.

Dukes hold series advantage

JMU has won eight of 10 games in a series that began during the 1969-70 season. The two wins by 91短视频 came on Dec. 9, 1969, in the first-ever meeting between the schools by a score of 58-57, and Jan. 20, 1973, with a score of 72-71 at home. Art Mullet coached the 1969 team and Roland Landes the 1973 team.

鈥淲e beat (JMU) at home when I was a sophomore in 1973. I remember that the place was packed,鈥� said . 鈥淚t was a big-time win for us. I remember the place went crazy.鈥�

One of the top players for JMU that season was George Tolliver, who went on to be a referee in the NBA and overseas.

Eberly remembers playing at Godwin Hall, the former JMU basketball home before the Convocation Center opened on the opposite and east side of Interstate 81 in 1982. 鈥淲hen we went over to play at Godwin, that was the biggest place we played at,鈥� Eberly said of a venue that held about 5,000 fans.

King said the arrival of Phillips, from Norfolk Christian High School, to 91短视频 in 1973 and through 1978 aided the program beyond wins and losses.

鈥淭hat was a really significant move. It was someone who had been extremely successful at the high school level,鈥� King noted. 鈥淚t was clear this man had a basketball mind. I would say the offensive game was where his strength was. And there was genuine care for the players.鈥�

Playing ‘up,’ looking to improve

, a 1992 graduate and the Royals head coach since 2002, has tried to set up a game with the Dukes for several years, and he said his relationship with current JMU coach Matt Brady 鈥� on the job since 2008 鈥� helped lead to this year鈥檚 contest.

鈥淚t is a good chance for our players to play a Division I school. We just want to get better,鈥� Dean said.

The 91短视频 coach pointed out his doesn鈥檛 have any seniors or juniors and will face a strong Division I Dukes club that advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2013.

鈥淲e know what we are up against,鈥� Dean said of the Dukes, picked to finish second in the Colonial Athletic Association in a pre-season poll.

That was also the case for the Royals back in the 1970s against Madison College, which was progressing to the Division I level by 1976 and switched its name to James Madison University one year later.

鈥淔or us to beat JMU was a big deal,鈥� said Phillips, who later became a coach and athletic director at Seattle Pacific.

That would certainly be the case as well on Nov. 24 for the Royals 鈥� nearly 40 years after the last regular-season meeting between the schools.

To purchase tickets for the game, click . For more information on the Convocation Center and parking, click . Live stats, video and audio of the game will all be available.

In recent years however, women have started picking up clubs and taking a crack at the sport with some serious success (we’re not talking Rene Russo in the movie, “Tin Cup,” here).

Harrisonburg’s female golfing phenom and recent Harrisonburg High School graduate Brittany McDonaldson is one of these golfing girls. When she graduated this past spring, Brittany was the only female to play golf at HHS in the history of the program.

“They had a men’s team, and I just played on the men’s team. At first, [the guys] didn’t really know what to think about me, but after a while I became one of the boys,” said McDonaldson.

She has been playing with the boys since she was a kid; in fact it was her father who sparked her interest in the game.

“My dad started playing and had me caddy for him, and I liked it. I wanted to play myself, so I got into First Tee,” explained McDonaldson. First Tee is a local program that couples golf lessons with life skills and, through her participation, she moved from caddy to golfer.

Her experience as the only female golfer at HHS will come in handy this fall when McDonaldson starts as the sole female golfer on the brand new 91短视频 . She’s not too concerned about being the only girl on the squad so far.

“From high school, I was the only girl there, too; I’m kind of used to it,” she said.

If 91短视频 hadn’t added a golf program for the upcoming year, McDonaldson may have looked elsewhere to keep playing the game she loves. Luckily, this fall both McDonaldson and the university golf program will start their freshman year.

, who will be coaching both the men’s and women’s golf teams, explained how important it is to add the golf program.

“We’re hoping this program will bring the student athlete to 91短视频 that wouldn’t compete in another type of sport … We’re hoping there are students that will consider [91短视频] now who wouldn’t have otherwise,” Eberly explained.

McDonaldson said 91短视频 was attractive for two reasons.

“[91短视频] was getting a women’s golf team, and they have a really good ,” said McDonaldson.

She followed in her father’s footsteps with golf, but it will be her mother’s profession she’ll pursue. “My mom is a nurse, so I’ve been around it. I like taking care of people,” she explained.

“Brittany is a very good student, she’s going to go into the nursing program, she’s very intelligent and a good golfer,” Eberly said.

As the only female golfer on the team, the , which 91短视频 belongs to, must score Brittany a bit differently. Typically for tournaments five players compete, with the top four scores compiling the total. A one-player team will change the process.

“I’ll just have to play as an individual,” she explained.

McDonaldson doesn’t seem concerned; she’s used to standing as the only female on the green, but Eberly is hoping to fill five remaining slots on the team.

The golf program will call Heritage Oaks its home green and McDonaldson’s no stranger to the course; she works there and it’s her favorite in the area. She uses the course to keep sharp in the off-season.

“I mainly hit balls every day and play a few times a week,” she said.

McDonaldson has no plans to retire her clubs after school, saying, “I’ll definitely keep playing after college.”

Courtesy Daily News Record, July 10, 2012

He recently retired from a position with Rockingham County, spending more than 30 years with the county鈥檚 recreation department, including the last 28 as director.聽 Eberly coached the boy鈥檚 golf team at Eastern Mennonite High School this past year and also works at in Harrisonburg, which will be the home course for the Royals.

Further building on the connection with the city-owned course, David Johns, the head professional at Heritage Oaks, will provide additional instruction for the 91短视频 golfers.

91短视频 Director of Athletics feels the combination of the two men will be perfect for the start up of the program.

鈥淲endell brings a familiarity with the university, the Harrisonburg community and Heritage Oaks that will help him fit into the collegiate coaching role and get the golf program up and running,鈥� King explained.聽 鈥淒avid’s familiarity of golf programs, including his collegiate playing days at James Madison University, will help in establishing the golf program.聽 The combination of Wendell’s administrative experience and David’s teaching expertise and experience provides the foundation for a great start to our golf teams.聽 That combination will also be an attraction to recruits who want to improve their game.聽 The availability of both Wendell and David at the golf course will greatly benefit the players during their practice sessions.鈥�

Eberly was pleased to see 91短视频 add the sport on the varsity level.

鈥淭he more I started talking about this opportunity the more excited I got,鈥� he said.聽 鈥淚 love golf and it鈥檚 a great program for 91短视频 to get involved with as it provides a lifetime activity for the student-athletes.鈥�

Immediately after graduating from Eastern Mennonite in 1975, Eberly coached the women鈥檚 basketball team to three winning seasons on an interim basis preceding Hall of Honor coach .聽 He now brings his involvement with his alma mater full circle.

鈥淚鈥檝e been involved with 91短视频 for many years,鈥� said Eberly.聽 鈥淚 graduated from here, my wife graduated from here and we鈥檝e had two daughters graduate from here.聽 So I鈥檝e been involved with the community for many years and stayed up on their sports activities.聽 It鈥檚 a good institution and I鈥檓 excited to be a part of it.鈥�

The collegiate golf season spans all year, with events in both the fall and spring leading up to the ODAC Championship in April.聽 King knows that with the timing of the hiring, the majority of 91短视频鈥檚 first team members might already be on campus.

鈥淲hile we are really late in the recruiting process, we are hopeful that as Wendell gets started this week, we can still find a few student-athletes that would like to be a part of this new program,鈥� King said.聽 鈥淲e have a lot to learn about the golf program, but having Wendell and David working together, I believe that we can make up for lost time.聽 We are grateful to the Loyal Royals who have provided funding so Wendell can begin working immediately.鈥�

Eberly begins his work as 91短视频鈥檚 first golf coach this week.聽 He and his wife Carol live in Harrisonburg.聽 They have two grown daughters that live in the area along with two grandchildren.

The 2012-13 schedule will be released later this summer.