Marymount, Va. -- Marymount Athletics hosted its 30th annual Special Olympics Basketball Tournament Sunday, Mar. 22 in the Rose Benté Lee Center, continuing a longstanding partnership with Special Olympics Virginia.

The one-day event featured teams competing in a bracket-style tournament, while Marymount student-athletes volunteered throughout the day to support game operations and create an engaging atmosphere.

"This event continues to stand as the premier community service experience for our campus," Associate Athletics Director Ryan Wildenhain said. "Uniting departments and community members around a shared commitment to inclusion highlights what is possible when people come together with purpose."

This year, 23 of Marymount's 25 varsity programs were represented, totaling more than 250 student-athlete volunteers.

"Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels valued and celebrated," Wildenhain said. "Through the energy and joy of the tournament, we create meaningful moments that leave a lasting impact on both Special Olympics athletes and Marymount student-athletes long after the final buzzer."

Marymount and its basketball programs have partnered with Special Olympics Virginia for three decades, hosting the annual tournament as a signature community engagement event.

"The longstanding partnership between Marymount and Special Olympics Virginia is truly special," said Margaret White, Special Olympics Potomac Region director and former Marymount women's basketball coach. "For 30 years, the campus community has hosted this tournament, and every year the students bring incredible energy and enthusiasm to support the athletes. It is powerful to see what happens when peers come together, both with and without intellectual disabilities, through sports."

Marymount Athletics plans to continue the partnership and its commitment to inclusive programming in the years ahead.

For more information on Special Olympics Virginia and opportunities to get involved, visit the organization's website.

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