RICHMOND, Va. – It will certainly become one of the most talked about events in Central Virginia. Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball head coach Shaka Smart and PGA TOUR Pro and former VCU standout John Rollins are joining NASCAR drivers Elliott and Hermie Sadler to present the first-ever Shaka Smart-John Rollins Golf Charity Classic on June 28th and 29th at the Salisbury Country Club in Midlothian, Va.

”I am thrilled and honored to be teaming up with Coach Smart for the benefit of three such worthwhile charities: the Scholarship Foundation of my alma mater, Hermie and Elliott Sadler’s fight against autism and my foundation,” Rollins stated.

"We've always taken great pride in these fund raising golf events. In talking with many who have been around VCU Athletics for decades, however, this might be the best field of celebrities to ever play on behalf of VCU,” VCU Athletic Director Norwood Teague added. “John, Shaka and Hermie have not disappointed when it comes to providing big time names to the lineup card of this tournament. To think that guys like Darrell Waltrip, Zach Johnson, Tubby [Smith] and Billy [Donovan] will take time out of their summer schedules to play golf with those that love the Rams, speaks volumes about the relationships John, Shaka and Hermie have in the sports community."

Sports celebrities from the worlds of college basketball, the PGA TOUR and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will join forces to raise funds for the Ram Athletic Fund, The John Rollins Foundation and the Hermie & Elliott Sadler Foundation.

“We’re truly excited about the outpouring of support for this event,” Smart commented. “I’m looking forward to being around all theses big time sports personalities.”

A tournament entry includes tickets to the June 28th “Sunday Night Celebration with the Celebrities” at the Torque Club inside the Richmond International Raceway, in addition to 18 holes of golf with one of the invited sports celebrities on Monday, June 29.

“Elliott and I are honored to team up with VCU and John Rollins for this exciting event that is bringing together such an impressive list of athletes and celebrities for such a great cause,” Hermie Sadler said. “We certainly hope this will turn into an annual event that people in the Richmond area and Southside Virginia can be proud of.”

Current Minnesota men’s basketball head coach and former VCU assistant Tubby Smith as well as Florida’s Billy Donovan, recently hired Tony Bennett of Virginia, Clemson’s Oliver Purnell and Marquette’s Buzz Williams are expected to join Smart from the world of college basketball.

The list of PGA TOUR pros include 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, along with Lucas Glover and Daniel Chopra, while NASCAR Driver Darrell Waltrip is also slated to be in attendance.

“My wife, Heather and I formed our foundation last year, and this will be our first effort to raise dollars for needy children across the world. We are really looking forward to bringing some of the biggest names on the PGA Tour together with all of the other exciting celebrities from around the sports world in my hometown. This should be a great event that brings pleasure to spectators for many years to come,” Rollins added.

Additional celebrities that are scheduled to appear are ESPN’s Hubert Davis, former professional wrestler Sergeant Slaughter, former MLB star Mitch “The Wild Thing” Williams, former Tar Heel great Phil Ford and former Carolina Panther Wesley Walls.

Foursomes, individual entries and hole sponsorships are available. For more information or to register, please contact Andrew Hartley at http://aphartle@vcu.edu or by phone at (804) 828-1726.

The first-ever Shaka Smart-John Rollins-Elliot and Hermie Sadler Golf Charity Classic went down as a huge success, raising over $100,000 for three different charities: Hermie and Elliot Sadler Foundation, John Rollins Foundation and the Ram Athletic Fund.

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“Both days of the event went outstanding,” VCU Athletic Director Norwood Teague said. “There were so many people that worked so hard to make the event what it was and we hope that this event continues for many years. In addition, to be able to raise all this money that will benefit so many different causes is just great.”

After a night full of good times and story telling at the Torque Club at Richmond International Raceway on Sunday evening, an open panel discussion, a clinic by the PGA TOUR pros and a fun-filled afternoon of golf wrapped up the two-day event on Monday.

PGA TOUR pros John Rollins and Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion, got the day off to a booming start with drives right down the middle of the first hole.

“I’m so thrilled to have been a part of this event and just so thankful to all of my friends on the TOUR that took time out of their busy schedules to come and play,” Rollins added.

Johnson and Rollins were joined by fellow golfers Chris DiMarco, Daniel Chopra, Robert Wren, Webb Simpson, Tag Ridings, Bob Heintz and Glen Day. Joining the PGA TOUR pros were a slew of the NASCAR family, including Reed Sorenson, Darrell Waltrip, Jimmy Spencer, Tony Raines, Phil Parsons, Jeff Hammond and Rick Allen.

“The early part of the week for us is usually the time we take to relax a bit, sort of our weekend. For all these guys to take that time to help out my brother and I, along with the other two fine charities, means a lot to us,” Elliot Sadler commented.

Joining Smart from the world of basketball were legendary college coaches Tubby Smith and Oliver Purnell, along with the father-son NBA duo of Gerald Henderson Sr. and Gerald Henderson Jr.

The PGA TOUR will be posting a lengthy video feature, hosted by Rollins, on http://www.pgatour.com in the coming weeks.

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