EDITOR'S NOTE: Click Here To Read HockeyCat.com's Tribute to Jim Sapikowski."

Chapel Hill (Friday, 8th, April, 2005) – J.D. Sapikowski, Head Coach of UNC’s hockey program, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, announces sponsorship and participation in the Inaugural Carolina Invitational Hockey Tournament to be played in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Oct 14th, 15th and 16th of 2005.

"UNC hockey is pleased to announce that the University of South Carolina, Kennesaw State University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County have all accepted invitations to the Inaugural Carolina Invitational Hockey Tournament sponsored by J5 Inc., Stirling Ventures and Tristarrr, all of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This inaugural event will be a regional celebration of collegiate hockey and will bring in talented teams that have not historically been on the UNC Hockey schedule," explained Head Coach Sapikowski.

Sapikowski continued, "we have worked very hard to upgrade our program and the culmination of that can be seen in our scheduling for 2005-2006. To be able to kick off next season by adding this Tournament is icing on the cake. We are so please to be joined by Head Coach Matt Hogan and his Owls (Kennesaw State University), Head Coach Fee DeCosty and his Gamecocks (University of South Carolina) and Head Coach Dan Grisanti and the Retrievers (University of Maryland Baltimore County). These teams represent the ACHA and Division II & III hockey at its finest."

The Tournament will be a four team Round Robin format; with double-header action played each of three days, the 14th, 15th and 16th of October. The champion will be crowned and awards for Tournament MVP and Top Goaltender will be awarded after the final game Sunday. But more than that, this event will bring a spotlight on collegiate hockey to a part of the country that is fast becoming hockey fans, but have had limited exposure to collegiate hockey. Obviously that will change. I especially wish to thank Waylon Dudley, General Manager of the Triangle Sportsplex , Dan Grisanti, Head Coach UMBC, Nick Matthews, President of USC Hockey, Bill Morrison, Director of Hockey Operations, KSU and of course, our lead sponsors for all of their help in making this possible, Sapikowski concluded.

For more information visit the UNC Hockey website at www.unchockey.com

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