Oct. 8, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - For the first time in Northern California, thousands of fans and supporters will experience lacrosse played at the highest level when the inaugural San Francisco Fall Lacrosse Classic, a NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse event, comes to San Francisco's Kezar Stadium on Saturday, October 10, 2009. Squaring off will be nationally-ranked lacrosse teams Brown University and the University of North Carolina.

The Tar Heels leave for the Bay Area Friday afternoon and will meet the Bears at Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park Saturday at 3:15 p.m. PDT in an exhibition game. Kezar Stadium is the former home of the San Francisco 49ers.

Prior to the start of the competition on October 10, free youth clinics will be held for boys 1st-8th grade, featuring coaches and players from the participating teams, and a free coaches' clinic will be held for local youth and high school coaches with the coaching staffs from Brown and North Carolina.

Lacrosse has been one of the nation's fastest growing high school and college sports over the past ten years, and there are now more than 10,000 youth lacrosse players in California, an increase of more than 200% since 2001. Home to over 300 boys and girls high school teams, in addition to hundreds of youth teams, the Bay Area and California is ready to support a great world-class lacrosse event that will help showcase the excitement of the game to both seasoned fans, as well as those experiencing lacrosse for the first time.

100% of the proceeds from the San Francisco Fall Lacrosse Classic will go directly to the BAYS Foundation to support programs and organizations that provide opportunities and increase access for low income youth in the Bay Area to participate in organized sports programs. More information about the BAYS Foundation and the programs we support may be found at www.sfbays.org.

While Saturday will be all business for the Tar Heels, the Carolina players will visit Alcatraz and have plenty of "tourist" time in the City By The Bay Sunday before returning to Chapel Hill Monday.