Rocky Mount, N.C. - The men's and women's basketball teams of North Carolina Wesleyan will host a pair of tip-off tournaments this weekend to officially open their respective 2013-2014 slates.  The Battling Bishop men will host their Roger Taylor Invitational, while NCWC's women will host their First Annual Jean Edge Classic.

In its 25th year, the Roger Taylor Invitational is named for N.C. Wesleyan's first All-American. Taylor used basketball as a springboard for a college education, earning his A.A. degree from Louisburg College before joining the Bishops for his junior and senior years. A two-time Most Valuable Player and All-Conference selection on the hardwood, he served as team captain and was named Conference Co-Player of the Year after leading the NAIA in scoring in 1970. In addition to his All-American accolades, Taylor earned All-Academic and Most Outstanding Student-Athlete honors, and he remains one of only two NCWC basketball players to have his jersey retired. 

Taylor is a current member of NCWC's Board of Trustees and is a three-time Hall of Fame inductee (Louisburg, NCWC, USA South). He and his wife, Gaile, actively support the College, as evidenced by the beautiful Taylor Center adjacent to Everett Gymnasium.

This year, the Bishop men welcome Greensboro College, Bob Jones University and Maryland Bible College to Rocky Mount. Greensboro and Bob Jones kick off the tourney on Friday night at 6:00pm, followed by the Bishops taking on MBC at 8:00pm.  Play concludes on Saturday with a GC/MBC tilt at 1:00pm and NCWC/BJU match-up at 3:00pm. Fans can follow live stats online via http://livestats.prestosports.com/ncwesleyan/, and an All-Classic team will be named at the conclusion of the final contest.

On the women's side, Wesleyan is excited to host its First Annual Jean Edge Classic, which honors the true matriarch of Battling Bishop women’s athletics. Not only did Edge begin the softball program in 1974 and serve as head coach until 1977, but she also gained notoriety as the first-ever head coach for the women’s basketball team during the 1976-1977 season. Additionally, Coach Edge’s Bishop resume saw her serve as head volleyball coach from 1975 to 1977. Wesleyan’s softball facility, Edge Field, is named in her honor, as well as Edge Auxiliary Gymnasium in the Taylor Center.

In addition to her coaching duties, Jean Edge enjoyed being a member of the North Carolina Wesleyan faculty as a Physical Education instructor. She is a 1999 inaugural inductee into NCWC’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Bishop women will welcome Methodist University, Case Western Reserve University and Wesley College to Everett Gym for this inaugural event.  Methodist tips off with Case Western at 5:30pm on Saturday, followed by Wesleyan and Wesley at 7:30pm.  On Sunday, the Bishops take on Case Western at 1:30pm, and play wraps up at 3:30pm with Methodist and Wesley. Again, fans can follow live stats online via http://livestats.prestosports.com/ncwesleyan/, while a webcast (video only) will be accessible at http://www.ncwcsports.com/video/nmtv_feed. An All-Classic team will be named at the conclusion of the final contest.

For more information, please continue to visit www.ncwcsports.com.