GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS — Caymax Sports LTD., owners of the Cayman Islands Classic, has announced it will be hosting a yearly preseason NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament in the Cayman Islands with the inaugural event taking place Nov. 24-25, 2023, after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Former Duke women’s head basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie has been named the executive tournament director for the event which will be held at John Gray Gymnasium, just minutes away from the world famous Seven Mile Beach.
The eight participating teams for the Cayman Islands Classic will be disclosed later by Caymax Sports LTD.
"We are very proud to showcase Women’s DI basketball in the Cayman Islands,” said Joe Wright, CEO of Caymax Sports LTD. “Coach P. is a great addition to our team. We look forward to her bringing the top women’s teams to the Cayman Islands every year.”
Jill Turk, Chief Strategy Officer for Caymax Sports LTD. added, “It was important for us to align our women’s event with a female leader that represented women’s college basketball. Coach P’s coaching accomplishments make her a perfect fit for the role. We are excited to work with her."
McCallie was the first Division I head coach to win a conference title in four different leagues (the ACC, Big Ten, America East and North Atlantic) and also the first NCAA Division I coach to be named conference coach of the year in four different conferences. She was only the second Division I head coach to lead two different programs to 30-win seasons, and also to lead two different programs to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“I am thrilled to serve as the executive tournament director for the women’s event,” said McCallie, who led Duke to four straight trips to the NCAA Elite Eight along with numerous conference championships. "The eight teams will have the very best Cayman Islands experience. We will showcase the incredible talents of the teams, student-athletes, and coaches on a global level on one of the most beautiful islands in the world.”
“This is an incredible time for women's sports in the spirit of the 50th Anniversary celebration of Title IX,” added McCallie. “I am thrilled that Caymax Sports has the vision to create an exciting and premium MTE tournament for women’s basketball.”
McCallie was named the 2005 National Coach of the Year by The Associated Press and Basketball Times after guiding Michigan State to a school-record 33-4 mark capped by playing in the national championship game of the NCAA Tournament. She has three national championship game appearances in her career (one as a head coach and two as an assistant), and has been named conference coach of the year five times.
McCallie has also won a gold medal as coach of the Team USA 2006 U20 National team and the 2007 U21 World Championship team. McCallie led the Duke women's basketball team to a 330-107 record from 2007-20, including 10 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to Michigan State and Duke, McCallie guided Maine to a record of 167–73 from 1992-2000, including six-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, four North Atlantic Conference/America East Conference Championships and five regular-season conference titles.
For more information, please visit www.caymanislandsclassic.com.