Penn High School’s Girls Basketball Team will compete in one of Indiana’s most prestigious events, the Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic, in the 2019-2020 season.
It will be Penn’s second appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic. The Kingsmen won the 2011 Hall of Fame Classic, defeating Mt. Vernon (Fortville) and Norwell. Caroline Buhr was the MVP in the 2011 Hall of Fame Classic.
Coach Kristi Ulrich’s Kingsmen will take on Brownsburg at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 27, 2019. Crown Point plays Salem in the second game. The Consolation Game is set for 6 p.m., followed by the Championship Game. The Hall of Fame Classic is played at the legendary New Castle Fieldhouse.
“Being selected to be a part of the Hall of Fame Classic for the upcoming season is just a tremendous honor for the Penn High School Girls Basketball Program, Penn High School, and our community,” Ulrich said. “The Hall of Fame Classic is a very prestigious event known statewide, which will feature a terrific field of talented student-athletes.
“I am so excited that our program will be able to experience this unique opportunity and get a chance to play at one of the finest high school gymnasiums in the world, New Castle Fieldhouse,” Ulrich said.
Ulrich coached Penn to the 2016 Girls Basketball State Championship in Class 4-A. In her nine seasons, Penn has one State Championship, three Semi-state Championships, five Regional Championships, eight Sectional Championships, and seven Northern Indiana Conference Championships. Ulrich is 230-30 in her nine seasons leading the Kingsmen, the best mark in the state in that span.
Next season, Penn returns its top three scorers from the 2018-2019 season – Junior-to-be Trinity Clinton (14.6 points a game, 6.4 rebounds, 3.8 steals), Senior-to-be Reganne Pate (12.4 points) and Junior-to-be Jordyn Smith (10.3 points). Pate led the state with 100 three-pointers and a 52 percent shooting percentage from three-point range.
Penn is part of a field that a combined 97-10 record last season. Penn played Crown Point in the 2019 Regional, losing 54-47 in overtime. Penn rallied from nine down with 3:19 left in the game to force the extra period.