LIVINGSTON – The 2013-14 University of West Alabama athletics year got a jump start Monday evening with the 17th Annual Kickoff Dinner at the Bell Conference Center on the UWA campus.

Head coaches and student-athletes from all West Alabama sports were on hand to enjoy dinner and fellowship with fans, faculty, staff and supporters of Tiger athletics. UWA alumus Wright Waters, the executive director of the Football Bowl Association, was the featured speaker. Prior to Waters’ speech, UWA head coaches introduced senior student-atheltes from their respective teams.

“It was a great evening to visit with West Alabama supporters and our athletic family,” UWA Director of Athletics Stan Williamson said. “It’s a great time to be a Tiger and we are looking forward to a tremendous 2013-14 year.”

The “official” start of the atheltic year at West Alabama comes Sept. 5 when the women’s soccer team is host to Judson College at Tiger Stdaium. The men’s soccer team hosts Mississippi College on Sept. 6. Both matches kick off at 7 p.m. The Tiger football season gets underway Sept. 7 when Clark Atlanta comes to Tiger Stadium for an 11 a.m. kickoff in a game televised by GSC-TV LIVE.

The UWA volleyball, cross country and golf teams open their seasons on the road next week. The volleyball team will play four matches in the West Georgia Tournament Sept. 6-7 in Carrollton, Ga., while cross country’s opening meet is Sept. 7 at the Jacksonville State Foothills Invitational. In the first intercollegiate golf competition in school history, the men’s and women’s golf teams will open play in the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate in Sevierville, Tenn., starting Sept. 8.