Dec. 20, 2004
ORLANDO - UCF will dedicate its 2004 UCF Holiday Invitational to legendary coach `Torchy' Clark.Clark, the first UCF Men's Basketball Coach, is very ill right now. We will be accepting donations beginning this week for Torchy and his family.
The tournament runs from December 28 through December 29. UCF will host Brown at 8:00 p.m. on the 28th while Charleston Southern will face Fordham at 6:00 p.m. to open the tournament. The consolation and championship games will be played on the 29th at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Clark is responsible for starting the basketball program at UCF. He coached the team from 1969-83 and compiled a record of 274-89 (.754). He led the team to six NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 1978 Final Four. Originally from Appleton, Wisc., Clark this is also a member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame and Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
If you have questions, please email Gert Garman at gert@mail.ucf.edu and please keep the Clark Family in your thoughts and prayers this holiday season. Please plan now to join us for the UCF Men's Holiday Tournament, dedicated to Torchy Clark on Tuesday, December 28th and Wednesday, December 29th! For tickets, call 407-UCF-GOLD.