ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association and Missouri Athletic Club have announced that Tom Lange Company will be the title sponsor for the 2019 College Basketball Awards on Monday, April 15. The awards banquet will be hosted at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis and features the top awards for the 2018-19 college basketball season: the Oscar Robertson Trophy (male player of the year), The Wayman Tisdale Award (freshman of the year), Henry Iba Award (coach of the year) and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (female player of the year).

"After participating in last year's event celebrating excellence in college basketball at the historic Missouri Athletic Club, we knew this event aligns well with the culture of excellence and ethical "hustle" we strive to maintain throughout our company every single day," said Jeff Moore, Tom Lange Company's V.P. of Sales for the Midwest Region. "We're honored and thrilled to help make this event possible."

The Tom Lange Family of Companies delivers fresh produce from farms around the world in partnership with its import division, Seven Seas, and its transportation division, Lange Logistics, for supply chain management of perishables and non-perishables. The employee-owned company was founded in 1960 in St. Louis, Mo.

"The Missouri Athletic Club appreciates our member, Jeff Moore from Tom Lange Company, for serving as title sponsor for the College Basketball Awards," said MAC President Keith Phoenix. "Their support is greatly appreciated. We look forward to hosting another memorable night at the MAC as the St. Louis sports community gets to enjoy this prestigious national event."

Reservations will be open to the public through Eventbrite beginning Friday, March 15. Go to Eventbrite.com and search "The College Basketball Awards Dinner" or go directly to collegebasketballawards.eventbrite.com to order tickets. Admission is $150/person and includes dinner, drinks and parking in the MAC garage. The event will begin with cocktails at 5:45 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the awards program at 8 p.m.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

The Missouri Athletic Club was established in 1903 with the mission to be the premier athletic, business, social and dining club in the St. Louis region for its members and their families. Today, the MAC is recognized as a “Platinum Club of America,” an honor that places it in the top 5% of private clubs in the country. The MAC has two locations – the historic Downtown Clubhouse and the West County Clubhouse located in Town & Country.

"Athletic" has been at the center of MAC life since inception more than a century ago, when Club officials and athletes participated in the 1904 Olympic Games. That tradition of promoting athletic excellence has continued throughout its history and remains strong today through a variety of events. The MAC sponsors the annual High School Soccer All-Star Games at the Soccer Park. Since 1970, the MAC has hosted the Jack Buck Awards to honor the top sports figures in St. Louis. Since 1986, the MAC has annually presented the Hermann Trophy to the top male and female collegiate soccer players in the country.

For additional information, contact Joe Mitch at the USBWA (314-795-6821) and Jim Wilson at the MAC (314-539-4488).