On the heels of last season’s most-successful inaugural competition, Nazareth College will host the second annual Onnie’s Classic Women’s Basketball event on Nov. 17-18.
Unique to the local college sporting scene, the purpose of the Onnie’s Classic is to raise funds to support the “Onnie Wells Child Life Activity Room” in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
The event has pre-determined pairings. On opening day (Saturday, Nov. 17), Vassar College will play The College at Brockport at 1 p.m., followed at 3 p.m. by Keuka College vs. Nazareth. The next afternoon’s (Sunday, Nov. 18) match-ups will have Vassar vs. Nazareth at 1 p.m. and Keuka vs. Brockport at 3 p.m.
Admission is $5 for each doubleheader session in Nazareth’s Kidera Gymnasium, with current Nazareth students admitted for just $1 with the presentation of a college ID.
The Onnie’s Classic is the brainchild of Tony Wells, the former 28-year JPMorgan Chase Scholarship Basketball Tournament executive who retired in 2009. “Nazareth College and Golisano Children’s Hospital have been eager, creative partners,” says Wells, a Perinton resident who serves as the event’s volunteer executive director.
“The Onnis’s Classic is not just another four-team tournament,” said Wells.
“It is unique to our area in a number of ways: bringing in two teams (Vassar and Keuka) who rarely appear in Rochester; stressing involvement by the local alums of the four teams; raising funds for a most-respected children’s hospital; and utilizing an Honorary Chair who emphasizes the finest traditions and purposes of all the constituents surrounding the event. And, the Onnie’s Classic is the only local college women’s basketball tournament named after a female.”
Dr. Elizabeth McAnarney, Chair Emerita of the Department of Pediatrics at Golisano Children’s Hospital, is serving as Honorary Chair of the upcoming Onnie’s Classic. A Brighton resident, McAnarney is a 1962 graduate of Vassar College and is a member of the Board of Trustees at Nazareth College.
As Chair of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief at Golisano Children’s Hospital from 1993 to 2006, McAnarney and Onnie Wells developed a warm, personal friendship.
“With her close ties to Vassar, Nazareth, Golisano Children’s Hospital and Onnie Wells, Dr. McAnarney brings a most-positive perspective and incredible energy to the anticipated success of the upcoming Onnie’s Classic,” said Tony Wells.
The local alumni clubs of the participating teams are all enthusiastically behind the Onnie’s Classic. “All four alumni organizations are actively promoting attendance for the Saturday afternoon opening doubleheader. Not only to root for their respective squads, but also by hosting an on-site ‘Meet The Team’ reception immediately following each game,” notes Wells.
On the heels of last season’s most-successful inaugural competition, Nazareth College will host the second annual Onnie’s Classic Women’s Basketball event on Nov. 17-18.
Unique to the local college sporting scene, the purpose of the Onnie’s Classic is to raise funds to support the “Onnie Wells Child Life Activity Room” in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
The event has pre-determined pairings. On opening day (Saturday, Nov. 17), Vassar College will play The College at Brockport at 1 p.m., followed at 3 p.m. by Keuka College vs. Nazareth. The next afternoon’s (Sunday, Nov. 18) match-ups will have Vassar vs. Nazareth at 1 p.m. and Keuka vs. Brockport at 3 p.m.
Admission is $5 for each doubleheader session in Nazareth’s Kidera Gymnasium, with current Nazareth students admitted for just $1 with the presentation of a college ID.
The Onnie’s Classic is the brainchild of Tony Wells, the former 28-year JPMorgan Chase Scholarship Basketball Tournament executive who retired in 2009. “Nazareth College and Golisano Children’s Hospital have been eager, creative partners,” says Wells, a Perinton resident who serves as the event’s volunteer executive director.
“The Onnis’s Classic is not just another four-team tournament,” said Wells.
“It is unique to our area in a number of ways: bringing in two teams (Vassar and Keuka) who rarely appear in Rochester; stressing involvement by the local alums of the four teams; raising funds for a most-respected children’s hospital; and utilizing an Honorary Chair who emphasizes the finest traditions and purposes of all the constituents surrounding the event. And, the Onnie’s Classic is the only local college women’s basketball tournament named after a female.”
Dr. Elizabeth McAnarney, Chair Emerita of the Department of Pediatrics at Golisano Children’s Hospital, is serving as Honorary Chair of the upcoming Onnie’s Classic. A Brighton resident, McAnarney is a 1962 graduate of Vassar College and is a member of the Board of Trustees at Nazareth College.
As Chair of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief at Golisano Children’s Hospital from 1993 to 2006, McAnarney and Onnie Wells developed a warm, personal friendship.
“With her close ties to Vassar, Nazareth, Golisano Children’s Hospital and Onnie Wells, Dr. McAnarney brings a most-positive perspective and incredible energy to the anticipated success of the upcoming Onnie’s Classic,” said Tony Wells.
The local alumni clubs of the participating teams are all enthusiastically behind the Onnie’s Classic. “All four alumni organizations are actively promoting attendance for the Saturday afternoon opening doubleheader. Not only to root for their respective squads, but also by hosting an on-site ‘Meet The Team’ reception immediately following each game,” notes Wells.
All funds raised by the Onnie’s Classic will be given to the “Onnie Wells Child Life Fund,” which was established in the fall of 2009 by Golisano Children’s Hospital to provide enhancements and enriching materials to its Onnie Wells Child Life Activity Room.
Onnie (On-knee), who died in February of 2009, was a life-long Rochesterian (resident of Brighton and Pittsford) and the mother of Tony Wells. A member of the Class of 1947 at Smith College (Northampton, Mass.), she was also an active member of the Smith College Club of Rochester for 62 years. A year ago, Smith College, Cazenovia College, Brockport and Nazareth participated in the inaugural Onnie’s Classic.
