#BeachBubble Announces Thanksgiving Weekend Matchups
11/4/2020 1:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ESTERO, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2020) -- A college basketball season unlike any other is set to tip off in less than three weeks. For the Davidson women's basketball program, this means competing in a slate of games at Alico Arena in bdG Sports' #BeachBubble at the Gulf Coast Showcase from Nov. 27-29.
"We have built these men's and women's fields with the health and safety of our teams first and foremost in mind," said Brooks Downing, President of bdG Sports. "We have instituted a comprehensive safety plan with the focus on our three pillars of the host resort, game venue and ground transportation. Our partners at Hertz Arena, FGCU, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, Naples Tours and Transportation, Summit One Source, which provides our testing, and Loop Insights, which provides contact tracing, have all bought in from day one how important it is that we do this right and in a manner which protects the players and coaches as best we can."
The tournament, which holds a reputation as one of the most competitive events in women's basketball, will have the Wildcats opening up the season on Friday, Nov. 27, against reigning Big 10 regular season champions, the University of Maryland Terrapins. Davidson will then face Wake Forest and Florida Gulf Coast University on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, both with 11 a.m. tip off times.
"Our team is super excited to kick off the 2020-21 season at the #BeachBubble event down in Florida," said head coach Gayle Fulks. "To get the opportunity to compete with three teams who have postseason aspirations will no doubt prepare our squad for the rigors of Atlantic 10 conference play. With Maryland, Wake Forest and FGCU all providing different challenges, on top of the uncertainties of this season, the #BeachBubble is the perfect venue to test ourselves against some of the nation's best teams, all while in a safe environment."
"We have seen the best of women's basketball at the Gulf Coast Showcase over the years but this year's field may be the most exciting collection of offensive teams we've seen," added ESPN college basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli.
All nine games of the women's field will be available live and on-demand on FloHoops. Live, in-game, updates will also be available for Wildcat fans at @DavidsonWBB on Twitter.
Health and Safety Plan:
bdG Sports has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan as part of the #BeachBubble. The plan includes:
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COVID-19 testing antigen and antibody testing prior to arrival in Southwest Florida.
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Rapid antigen testing provided by Summit One Source upon arrival and throughout the stay.
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The availability of rapid PCR testing with a three-hour turnaround time to confirm any positive tests from the antigen testing.
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Daily medical screenings which include self-evaluations and temperature screenings.
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Implementation of Loop Insights' contact tracing through the "wallet" feature on cell phones.
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Social distancing and mask requirements in public spaces at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point and the game venue.
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Enhanced cleaning protocols at the resort, game venues and on local ground transportation.
Fan Information:
There will be no general fan access for the Gulf Coast Showcase games and tickets will not be available to the general public. A limited number of "Spectator Credentials" will be supplied to each team. As a requirement to receive these team-issued credentials, all individuals will receive a COVID-19 rapid antigen test at the event's medical center at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.
Complete #BeachBubble event information can be found at www.GulfCoastShowcase.com and on social media at @GCShowcase.
