NEW ORLEANS – Tulane Athletics is celebrating its official return to New Orleans by inviting every area resident to attend this Sunday’s Tulane women’s basketball game free of charge. The contest tips off at 2 p.m. in Fogelman Arena on the Tulane campus.

 The Green Wave, 3-1 on the season, will take on Central Connecticut State in the first collegiate or professional athletics event to be held in the city since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area Aug. 29.

 &#8220We’re excited to host the first athletics event in New Orleans since the hurricane and ready to welcome the first Tulane team to return to the city,” said Tulane Athletic Director Rick Dickson.  &#8220We want to share our return home with the entire city and region and invite everyone to come out to Fogelman and enjoy athletics competition again. It’s been a long time between home games for Tulane.”

 Tulane Athletics’ last true &#8220home” games occurred August 26 when the Green Wave volleyball and women’s soccer teams hosted contests on Tulane’s campus.  Since then, the Tulane student-athletes have been spread across four campuses in Louisiana and Texas.  The football team played 11 games in 11 stadiums, including six designated as &#8220home” contests, while the women’s soccer and volleyball teams completed their &#8220home” schedules in College Station, Texas, where they were stationed for the fall.  The women’s basketball team, which was based in Lubbock, Texas and attended Texas Tech University this fall, played an exhibition game and one regular season contest in Lubbock, while the men’s basketball team is playing its &#8220home” games at Texas A&M’s Reed Arena. They return to New Orleans for a Dec. 27 home contest versus Richmond in Fogelman. 

 In addition to the free admission for Sunday’s game, free parking is available in the Loyola Garage.  Fogelman Arena is located on the corner of Freret Street. and McAlister Drive.

 Tickets for the 2005-06 Green Wave men’s and women’s basketball seasons will also be on sale Sunday in the new Tulane Athletics Ticket Office, which has been relocated to Fogelman Arena. For ticket or game information, call (504) 247-1240 or (504) 247-1241.