CCHA's 30th Anniversary To Be Celebrated March 17-20 At The Joe

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is proud to announce its schedule for CCHA Championship Weekend in Detroit from March 17-20. With "Four Days, Four Teams, Four Games, Something For Everyone", fans will have the opportunity to be involved and show support for their favorite CCHA team, as well as enjoy a variety of events and activities surrounding the weekend celebration. The 2011 CCHA Championship marks the 30th anniversary of the event being held at Joe Louis Arena. The first championship held at The Joe was in 1982 with Michigan State defeating Notre Dame, 4-1.

"Our organization is proud to be affiliated with CCHA," said Tom Wilson, president of Olympia Entertainment. "When Mike and Marian Ilitch first got involved with the CCHA 30 years ago, little did we know what a spectacular annual event this would become. Today, it's grown into a series of first-class, hockey-related events for fans of all ages that culminate in the championship game for the country's most respected collegiate hockey association."

Four teams will travel to Detroit in hopes of capturing the CCHA Championship, which grants an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Semifinals will take place at 4:35 and 8:05 p.m. Friday, March 18. The third-place game will be played Saturday, March 19 at 3:35 p.m. followed by the championship game at 7:35 p.m. The semifinal games and the championship game will air live on FOX Sports Detroit PLUS in HD.

"The CCHA has been committed to Detroit for decades," said Wayne County Executive Robert A. Ficano. "Detroit has unique restaurants, from Greektown to Midtown, not to mention historic cultural attractions, for all to enjoy. We look forward to hosting the teams, their families, and the thousands of fans accompanying them on their long journey to the championship at Joe Louis Arena, and thank the CCHA for their continued commitment to our region."

CCHA Awards presented by RBC Financial Group (March 17) -- The CCHA will host its annual awards show at the beautiful Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit at 7:30 p.m. The awards show, renowned as the "Oscars of College Hockey", celebrate the annual all-conference, scholar athlete and all-rookie teams, along with the individual honors, including the RBC Financial Group Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Perani Cup winners and the Mike and Marian Ilitch Humanitarian Award. Tickets are on sale to the general public ($15) and may be purchased through the CCHA Office by calling (248) 888-0600.

Warrior CCHA Kids College Classic (March 18-20) - The youth tournament for Squirt and Peewee teams will take place all weekend at the Novi Ice Arena and at Suburban Ice Farmington Hills, with all championship games being held on Sunday at Joe Louis Arena. Six different divisions will be featured in the tournament.

USA Hockey Coaches Symposium (March 18-20) - A USA Hockey Level 4 Coaches Symposium will be held at Compuware World Headquarters in downtown Detroit. CCHA coaches will be on hand for presentations and panel discussions.

Hockey 4 Hunger (March 18-19) -- Forgotten Harvest volunteers will be selling CCHA Hockey 4 Hunger t-shirts during the weekend with all proceeds from the sales to benefit Forgotten Harvest. For every dollar donated, Forgotten Harvest is able to provide five meals for our community's hungriest residents.

CCHA Fan Fest (March 19-20) - The annual Fan Fest, with free admission, will take place at the GM Wintergarden of the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. The event will include interactive games, a shooting range, CCHA team lockers and uniform displays, CCHA trophy exhibit, a Zamboni display and the CCHA "History Walk." Following the second semifinal game Friday night, the GM Wintergarden at the Renaissance Center will also be the site of the CCHA Championship Party presented by the Detroit Metro Sports Commission.

Comcast Parade of Champions (March 19) - Players from approximately 40 youth-level championship teams (Michigan Amateur Hockey Association) receive a ticket to Saturday's games and are introduced on-ice prior to Saturday's CCHA Championship Game at Joe Louis Arena.

HockeyTown Café / Offi cial CCHA Fan Desti nati on -- Fans can enjoy a meal all weekend at the restaurant ESPN2's Cold Pizza named the No. 2 Sports Bar in America. HockeyTown Café is a Red Wings' fans paradise, as it is chock-full of hockey memorabilia, and will serve as the official fan destination location for the CCHA Championship. Fans can take advantage of a complimentary shuttle to and from Joe Louis Arena for all four games of the CCHA Championship. Parking is available in the Fox Theatre parking structure located between Woodward and Park.

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