<h2><img height="22" border="0" width="176" alt="Feature Story" src="http://www.siue.edu/news/img/featurestory.gif" /><br /></h2> <p><img height="145" border="0" width="532" alt="Charter Cable To Feature SIUE Basketballs First DI Competition" src="/id0904f67a8059ec1e" /></p> <h2>Charter Cable To Feature SIUE Basketball's First D-I Competition</h2> <object width="300" height="243" vspace="0" align="left"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j5s08_90FeM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=1" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> </object> <p><br />(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Men's Basketball Team will take its first foray into Division I competition this weekend, and the St. Louis Metropolitan area will get to watch the action, play-by-play, thanks to Charter Communications and Comcast Southeast.</p> <p>The Cougars will play at 6 p.m. Friday at the ESPN-sponsored Charleston Classic against the host institution, College of Charleston. Charter Communications will offer live coverage of the game on Charter Cable Channel 8 in Illinois and Missouri.</p> <p>"This is an exciting time in the history of SIUE Athletics, and for us as an institution," said SIUE Director of Athletics Brad Hewitt. "Getting this type of coverage allows our players, our students and our university to get great exposure as we take this major step."</p> <p>The Cougars highly anticipated move to Division I competition has been met with enthusiasm and support from the campus and surrounding community, Hewitt said, noting "by enabling our fans to see the game in real-time, we will just build on the support we've been so fortunate to receive and enjoy."</p> <p>The Cougars again will compete at the Classic on Saturday and Sunday. Times have not yet been determined. For more information on game times, visit <a href="http://www.siue.edu/athletics">www.siue.edu/athletics</a>.</p> <h2><br />SIUE Athletics, St. Louis Sports Leader 590 "The Fan" Announce Partnership</h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Athletics hits the St. Louis airwaves with the announcement of a partnership agreement with St. Louis Sports Leaders 590 "The Fan" to air Cougar Men's Basketball games this season.</p> <p>The station will broadcast Cougars games live throughout the St. Louis media market, with the first game to launch the 2008-09 season, and the partnership, taking place at 6 p.m. Friday at the ESPN-sponsored Charleston Classic against the host institution, College of Charleston. The game can be listened to online at www.kfns.com.</p> <p>"We are extremely proud of the new partnership with St. Louis' sports leader in talk radio," said SIUE Director of Athletics Brad Hewitt. "'The Fan' gives us a broader market base as we continue with our transition to NCAA Division I status and step forward into the Ohio Valley Conference.</p> <p>"Coach (Lennox) Forrester has an extremely exciting schedule for year one of reclassification to Division I. We're elated that we'll be able to reach a larger audience."</p> <p>Cougar Athletics will continue to use WSIE FM 88.7, a 50,000-watt station located on the SIUE campus, as its flagship station for broadcasts. SIUE Assistant to the Athletic Director for Broadcasting Joe Pott will be the play-by-play voice for Cougar basketball. SIUE basketball fans will be able to listen to the Cougars either on the radio at WSIE or KFNS or online at www.kfns.com.</p> <p>"We are excited to be a part of such a big step in SIUE Athletics and in the SIUE community," said KFNS Director of Operations/Programming Chris "Hoss" Neupert. "As the heritage sports station in St. Louis, we are looking forward to being with the team from the beginning and wish the Cougars and Coach Forrester the best of luck."</p> <p>The Cougars also will face off against defending Big Ten champion Wisconsin next Tuesday, as well as Big 12 standouts Missouri on Dec. 27 and Iowa State on Jan. 3. Two Missouri Valley Conference teams, Evansville and Bradley, will meet the Cougars for games on Dec. 2 and Dec. 23, respectively. The Cougars also will take on Horizon League schools Loyola on Dec. 22 and Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Jan. 12.</p> <p>Also on the schedule, OVC school Southeast Missouri State on Dec. 31 and road Division I contests at Middle Tennessee State of the Sun Belt Conference on Dec. 7, Missouri-Kansas City of the Summit League on Dec. 28 and Lipscomb of the Atlantic Sun Conference on Dec. 9.</p>