Pride of Wildcat Land Band

The Pride of Wildcat Land marching band consists of more than 300 students from every department and major on campus. The nationally renowned band performs at all home games, one Kansas City Chiefs game each year, and bowl games in support of the team. 30 members of this K-State Band will be served as the pep-band for the WEPAC Hoops for Hope Game. Several of the band members are from our WEPAC towns.

Kansas State University Cheerleaders

K-State cheerleading is known for its dedication to raising spirit for Wildcat athletics while maintaining commitments to academics and community work. Their recent success won them a paid bid to the College Cheerleading Nationals, garnering national television exposure. They brought some of their most talented student-athletes to southwest Kansas to cheer for the Pink Team and raise money for WEPAC through a cheer clinic in Protection.

University of Kansas Cheerleaders

KU has a great cheerleading tradition, winning NCA Nationals in 1990 and 1995. They have 109 years of tradition and they came to southwest Kansas to share it with us! They've been to Final Fours, bowl games, and College Cheerleading Nationals. The program focuses on training better cheerleaders, better students, and better community-minded people. They were at the 2009 Hoops for Hope game to cheer for the White Team and raise money for WEPAC through a cheer clinic in Protection.

CANZONE

Kristen Allegri

Mezzo-soprano, brings engaging vocalism, dynamic stage presence and sincere musical interpretation to the operatic stage. With an expressive voice and compelling acting ability, her repertoire encompasses Mozart, Handel, Gounod, Massenet, and Rossini.

Amy Buckley

Soprano, has received acclaim for her sparkling and agile soprano voice. A solid musician with warm stage presence, she continues to mesmerize audiences with her unique interpretations of both recital and operatic literature.

Canzone Duo

These two talented vocalists make up the Canzone duo. Its musical genres range from standard operatic repertoire to musical theater and cabaret. The Canzone duet series is showcased at private house concerts, benefits, corporate events, recital venues and cabaret bars. With interactive programming, each performance is truly customized with language, musical style, and audience targeting. They traveled from New York City, NY to perform God Bless America at the end of the Hoops for Hope Practice Session and God Bless America and the Star Spangled Banner before the Hoops for Hope Game. To learn more about these two amazing vocalists, please see: www.canzonenyc.com.

OFFICIALS

BROOKE SCHWARTZ
OFFICIAL
GERING, NE
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA1

Accomplishments:

Brooke Schwartz few up in Gering, Nebraska, where she played four years of high school basketball. Schwartz averaged 26.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 8.2 steals as a senior at Gering High School. She was twice named to the Super-State all-state team and earned Class B first-team all-state honors three times.

At the University of Nebraska, she received Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 Conference honors in '99-'00, was 11th on the Nebraska All-Time Scoring List (1,243 points), and fifth on the Nebraska All-Time Steals List (223). Schwartz was Third-Team All-Big 12 Conference ('98-'99).

After college, Brooke played overseas in Iceland, where I earned National Cup MVP. She then came back and played a short time in the NWBL in Kansas City before suffering a career ending injury.

Touched By Cancer

"My grandmother is a breast cancer survivor, my grandfather lost his battle to cancer, my father is a cancer survivor, and my 4 year old niece is currently fighting leukemia."

Why I Am Coming

"I am playing in this game for my family and for all the other families who have lost, survived, or are currently fighting this awful disease."

If I Am Your Hero

"There is an Ann Donovan quote that says, "You're only as good as your dreams." I've always lived by that. Dream big!"

THERESA BECKER
OFFICIAL
LAWRENCE, KS
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Accomplishments:

Theresa Becker was named Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance at the University of Kansas in November 2005. She joined KU from the University of Nebraska athletics department, where she had served as Assistant Director of Compliance since 1997. At Nebraska, Becker coordinated a comprehensive NCAA rules and compliance education program, which included the development and maintenance of an athletic compliance monitoring system She developed and maintained an athletic compliance policy and procedures manual, and provided interpretative support regarding NCAA, Big 12 Conference and institutional rules and regulations.

Becker coordinated and conducted compliance review and eligibility certification meetings for student-athletes and practice players, and prepared rules-infraction reports to the NCAA and Big 12 Conference. In addition, she prepared NCAA and Big 12 Conference appeals and waivers, coordinated the administration of the NCAA Coaches Certification Exam and edited and distributed various athletics compliance-related publications.

Becker participated in NCAA Regional Rules Seminars and Big 12 Conference Compliance meetings, and coordinated the on-campus Big 12 Conference-administered Compliance Review at Nebraska.

Becker has also served as the Associate Head Women's Basketball Coach at Nebraska. She was head women's basketball coach at Iowa State University from 1992-95.

Becker also served as Head Softball Coach at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., immediately after graduating from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education.

Coach Becker is a breast cancer survivor and when she was asked to participate, she immediately agreed. Many of the KU items you will see in the silent auction at the game are the result of her commitment and generosity.

AMANDA WENT
CITY, STATE
OFFICIAL
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Background:

Amanda Went was born on May 17, 1979, in Columbus, Nebraska. She played basketball at Columbus High School, where she received All-State honors three times, averaging 14 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a senior. She helped Columbus to the state semifinals in 1996. She was a second-team Super-State pick as a junior and senior. As a junior, Went averaged 17.5 points, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals and hit 43 percent (43-95) from three-point range. She was a member of the Daubert-Woodman Junior All-Star team that won a national championship in Washington, D.C., in 1995. She led the Daubert-Woodman team in 1996. Went was named academic all-conference in track and field and was a member of the Columbus High honor roll.

At the University of Nebraska, Amanda ranked sixth all-time at NU in career three-point field goal percentage (34.2) and sixth in career three-point field goals made (96). She was First-Team Academic All-Big 12 two years and made the Big 12 Commissioners Academic Honor Roll two different semesters.

Amanda Went flew from her home in Austin, Texas to volunteer as an official for the WEPAC Hoops for Hope game. She currently officiates for Division I games across the country.

WEPAC JAM TEAM

NATHAN LEPPER

Accomplishments:

Nathan Leeper is a world class high jumper who is originally from Protection, Kansas. After graduating from Protection High School, he received a track and field scholarship at Kansas State University.

Career highlights: 2-time U.S. Indoor champion; 2-time U.S. Outdoor champion; 2,000 Olympian; 4th at the 2001 World Indoors; 1998 NCAA Outdoor champion; 1997 JUCO national champion.

On February 22nd, 2001, Nathan Leeper made an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman following one of the best performances of his career. On October 30th, he and some fellow jumpers will be performing a dunk show at the Hoops for Hope Practice Session and Game.