Clark Kellogg to be Keynote Speaker at 3rd Annual Basketball Tip-Off Banquet on Nov. 1

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer Athletic Foundation (MAF) has announced that longtime college basketball television analyst Clark Kellogg will be the featured speaker for Mercer University’s third annual “Tip-Off Banquet” to be held Tuesday, Nov.  1. The event annually rings in the women’s and men’s basketball seasons on the Mercer University campus and serves as a fundraiser for both programs, as well.

Kellogg joins Jay Bilas (2010) and Dick Vitale (2009) on the list of noteworthy individuals who have served as keynote speakers at the past two Tip-Off Banquets for the Bears’ basketball programs.

“We are very excited to once again have such an expert on college basketball like Clark Kellogg serve as our headline speaker for the Tip-Off Banquet,” said MAF President John Collier. “We always want to have our featured speaker not only be ‘high-profile’ in the sense of recognition, but also someone who can speak about basketball – especially on the college level – with authority and conviction.  In Clark Kellogg, we once again have that person!”

Kellogg was named the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports' coverage of college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in July 2008. Kellogg has been a CBS Sports college basketball game and studio analyst for the past 18 years. This year marks his second as lead analyst, partnering with Jim Nantz.

Kellogg is only the second CBS Sports lead college game analyst since Billy Packer joined the Network in 1982. Kellogg called his first Final Four and NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in April 2009. He joined CBS full-time in 1997 as a studio/game analyst for college basketball coverage. Kellogg served as a game analyst for the CBS Television Network's NCAA Tournament coverage in 1993 and 1994 and as studio co-host for first- and second-round coverage from 1994 to 1997. He has co-hosted THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR since 1997.

From 1990-97, he served as an analyst for ESPN's regular-season basketball coverage. He has worked for the Big East Network and Prime Sports. Kellogg has served as television analyst for the NBA's Indiana Pacers broadcasts since 1990. He played for Ohio State (1979-82) and earned All-Big Ten and Most Valuable Player honors (1982). Kellogg was the No. 1 draft pick of the Indiana Pacers in 1982 and played five seasons before retiring with chronic knee problems. He received a marketing degree from Ohio State in December 1996. Born July 2, 1961, Kellogg lives in Westerville, Ohio, with his wife, Rosy, and three children.

In addition to Kellogg’s address, women’s basketball head coach Susie Gardner and men’s head coach Bob Hoffman will both give updates on their respective teams heading into the 2011-12 campaign.  Players from both squads will also be introduced at the event, which is once again being partially underwritten by the Five Star Automotive Group as a “Platinum Level” sponsor.

“This is a very special and important evening for Mercer University basketball,” Collier reminded. “Our committee is working very hard to make it possible for even more people to be a part of the event. I hope that many businesses and individuals in our community take advantage of the chance to not only support Mercer’s great athletics program, but also to enjoy a fun, basketball-centered evening out with their friends and co-workers.”

Information on ticket sales will be announced Sept. 22 on the MU athletics web site, MercerBears.com. Those with questions may also contact MAF Executive Director Brittany Lee at (478) 301-4003 or via e-mail at maf@mercer.edu.