Leo Rautins to speak at inaugural Breakfast of Champions, October 5

Charlottetown, PEI (September 20, 2019)—UPEI Athletics and Recreation announced today that veteran sports journalist Leo Rautins will speak at the inaugural Breakfast of Champions at the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament on October 5. The annual tournament runs October 4–6, 2019 and features eight U SPORTS teams, four on the women's side (Cape Breton University, University of Ottawa, University of Waterloo, and UPEI), and four on the men's (Cape Breton University, University of Ottawa, Saint Mary's University, and UPEI).

Rautins has also offered to lead a skills clinic for students from grades 3–9 also on October 5, from 11 am–1 pm. He will be assisted by members of the UPEI women's and men's basketball teams. Space is limited so participants are encouraged to pre-register. 

"We are excited to have Leo join us at our first Breakfast of Champions and to lead our Youth Skills Clinic, as part of what is shaping up to be one of the best editions of the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament ever," said Chris Huggan, Director of Athletics and Recreation at UPEI. "Leo captured all of us during the Raptors' recent championship run, and we're fortunate to have someone with us who has so much depth and experience in all facets of the sport. I know he will inspire all of us."

Rautins has been on the Canadian basketball scene for more than 30 years as a player, coach, broadcaster and ambassador of the game. He is now in his 25^th season as television analyst for the Toronto Raptors, and handles the duties for all Sportsnet broadcasts, while working alongside Rod Black as studio analyst on TSN's NBA Studio shows. He also provides pre- and postgame analysis for NBA TV Canada.  

His distinguished playing career began with the Canadian national team in 1977, where Rautins was the youngest player to make the Team Canada (at 16 years of age) and the first team-sport member to win the Canadian Junior Athlete of the Year Award. An outstanding college career at Syracuse resulted in Rautins being drafted 17^th by Philadelphia in the first round of 1983 NBA Draft. He played with the Seventy Sixers and Atlanta Hawks before moving on to the Italian, Spanish, and French professional leagues from 1985–92. From 1989–92, he again represented his country as a member of the Canadian national team. Rautins was head coach for the national team from 2005–11, helping Canada reach the World Championship in 2010.

The Breakfast of Champions on October 5 takes place at 9 am at the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall on the UPEI campus. Corporate tables of eight, including eight tournament passes for the tournament, are priced at $400 while individual tickets are $40. To learn more or to purchase breakfast tickets, tournament passes, or register a child for the skills clinic, contact Koren Bogle Glenn at (902)-620-5158 or kglenn@upei.ca.

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Contact: Ronnie Annear
annear@upei.ca, 902-566-0991