Patchogue, NY - July 22, 2016 - St. Joseph’s College (SJC) will host the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST) home run derby on Saturday, August 6. For the derby, WWAST will face the Bayport-Blue Point Little League at 10:30 a.m. on the Gregg Alfano Field at SJC’s Outdoor Field Complex in Patchogue, New York.

“St. Joseph's College is proud to welcome these heroes, who have undertaken a new and selfless mission of inspiration,” said Erin D’Eletto, director of the Office of Military and Veteran Services at SJC. “They have transformed tragedy on the battlefield into a gift on the ballfield and we are grateful for their willingness to share their inspiration with us.”     

WWAST, which is comprised of wounded veterans from around the country, will be on Long Island for two softball games against local celebrities, politicians, athletes and friends of WWAST. The home run derby will take place as a friendly warmup before their first game against the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame All Stars at the Moriches Athletic Complex at 4 p.m. The following day, they will compete against the Friends of WWAST at the Medford Athletic Complex at noon.

“When the WWAST was here in 2014, it was an inspirational event for everyone who attended,” said Joe Bartumioli, volunteer promoter for WWAST. “We hope for an even larger crowd this year to cheer on these brave veterans. It will be an incredible weekend of celebration, inspiration and motivation.”

A military-friendly school with a dedicated Office of Military and Veteran Services, SJC offers online and on- and off-site class schedules for its military and veteran students, including offerings at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, the Jones Beach Coast Guard Station in Freeport, SFO Moriches in East Moriches and the Shinnecock Coast Guard Station in Hampton Bays, New York. In addition, SJC is an active participant in the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program, offering veteran students financial support, a monthly housing allowance and an annual stipend for books and school supplies. SJC is consistently ranked among the nation's best colleges for active military, veterans, spouses and dependents by U.S. News & World Report, Military Times, GI Jobs and Military Advanced Education. For more information about military offerings at SJC, visit here.  

All games are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Joe Bartumioli on email or 631.840.7787.

About Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST)
The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team™ (WWAST) is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to inspire and educate others while enhancing the health and welfare of Wounded Warrior amputees. The WWAST represents some of our nation’s bravest and most determined heroes, soldiers and veterans. These men have sustained severe injuries resulting in amputation, and through extensive rehabilitation, they have become competitive athletes again, playing against able-bodied teams in exhibition games across the country. Their armor now includes prosthetic legs and arms, along with extreme perseverance and attitude. Together they are the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team. To learn more about this organization, visit woundedwarrioramputeesoftballteam.org.

About St. Joseph's College
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in more than 45 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.