Temple University Athletics
Xavier Perez
Xavier Perez Wins Final Four Tickets
3.31.14 | General, Men's Basketball
Congratulations to Xavier Perez, a junior Film & Media Arts major from Warwick, N.Y., who won four tickets to the NCAA Final Four at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas!
In addition to winning a $25 gift card to Dunkin Donuts through OwlsConnect's Winning Wednesdays contest, Perez was entered into the NCAA's random Final Four drawing, along with student representatives from each Division I school in the country.
Somehow, despite the long odds, Perez's name was drawn from the pool of hundreds of contestants, and he will be attending the National Semifinals on Saturday, April 5, and the National Championship on Monday, April 7. We sat down with Perez to gather his thoughts on his incredible stroke of luck, and to learn about his plans for this once in a lifetime weekend.
Q: Who did you choose to join you on your trip to the Final Four?
I will be going with two brothers from my fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu, and another alum of the fraternity who attended Temple before I got here.
Q: How are you planning to get to Dallas, and do you know where you'll be staying?
We decided that we would embark on a 23-hour cross-country road trip. The plan is to have each passenger split time on the wheel, and we will pass through Virginia, Tennessee, and then Arkansas. I'd like to sightsee along the way, so we will stop in Memphis before we hit the homestretch to Dallas. We aren't sure yet where we will stay, but we will figure it out, and whether we are sleeping in a hotel or sleeping in the car, it's going to be a great time.
Q: When did you join OwlsConnect, and how have you enjoyed your experience with OwlsConnect thus far?
I signed up for OwlsConnect in October, a few days after it launched (connect.owlsports.com). I really enjoy participating in the Play Game Predictions before each game, and I like to check up on the message boards to see what people are saying about the Owls. A lot of alumni are active on OwlsConnect and on the message boards, so it's cool to hear from their perspective.
Q: Who do you have in your Final Four? And who do you have winning the championship?
Florida, Connecticut, Louisville, and Arizona. I had to support the American after I saw how SMU got robbed of an NCAA berth. I picked Louisville to win it all.
Q: What are your favorite Temple Athletics experiences?
My favorite game was definitely the whiteout Senior Day basketball game last year against VCU, when we beat the Rams and essentially solidified a spot in the NCAA Tournament. My favorite experience has been tracking the emergence of P.J. Walker on the football team, as I have followed his career since Temple was recruiting him in high school.
Q: What excites you the most about your upcoming trip?
The fact that I never thought I would ever get a chance to do something like this. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I can't wait to experience it.
Perez says he will be live tweeting his road trip from North Philly to Dallas, and his experience at the Final Four, so be sure to follow his exploits on his Twitter account @xman_perez
In addition to winning a $25 gift card to Dunkin Donuts through OwlsConnect's Winning Wednesdays contest, Perez was entered into the NCAA's random Final Four drawing, along with student representatives from each Division I school in the country.
Somehow, despite the long odds, Perez's name was drawn from the pool of hundreds of contestants, and he will be attending the National Semifinals on Saturday, April 5, and the National Championship on Monday, April 7. We sat down with Perez to gather his thoughts on his incredible stroke of luck, and to learn about his plans for this once in a lifetime weekend.
Q: Who did you choose to join you on your trip to the Final Four?
I will be going with two brothers from my fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu, and another alum of the fraternity who attended Temple before I got here.
Q: How are you planning to get to Dallas, and do you know where you'll be staying?
We decided that we would embark on a 23-hour cross-country road trip. The plan is to have each passenger split time on the wheel, and we will pass through Virginia, Tennessee, and then Arkansas. I'd like to sightsee along the way, so we will stop in Memphis before we hit the homestretch to Dallas. We aren't sure yet where we will stay, but we will figure it out, and whether we are sleeping in a hotel or sleeping in the car, it's going to be a great time.
Q: When did you join OwlsConnect, and how have you enjoyed your experience with OwlsConnect thus far?
I signed up for OwlsConnect in October, a few days after it launched (connect.owlsports.com). I really enjoy participating in the Play Game Predictions before each game, and I like to check up on the message boards to see what people are saying about the Owls. A lot of alumni are active on OwlsConnect and on the message boards, so it's cool to hear from their perspective.
Q: Who do you have in your Final Four? And who do you have winning the championship?
Florida, Connecticut, Louisville, and Arizona. I had to support the American after I saw how SMU got robbed of an NCAA berth. I picked Louisville to win it all.
Q: What are your favorite Temple Athletics experiences?
My favorite game was definitely the whiteout Senior Day basketball game last year against VCU, when we beat the Rams and essentially solidified a spot in the NCAA Tournament. My favorite experience has been tracking the emergence of P.J. Walker on the football team, as I have followed his career since Temple was recruiting him in high school.
Q: What excites you the most about your upcoming trip?
The fact that I never thought I would ever get a chance to do something like this. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I can't wait to experience it.
Perez says he will be live tweeting his road trip from North Philly to Dallas, and his experience at the Final Four, so be sure to follow his exploits on his Twitter account @xman_perez
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