Ashland University is preparing to send five of its students down to Columbus on St. Patrick’s Day.

The AU Unified Basketball Team, which pairs Ashland students with members of the Gilroy Academy and the Ashland County branch of Ohio Special Olympics, will be participating in a tournament at The Ohio State University starting at noon.

This year’s championship team includes members from the Ashland Dragons Special Olympics Basketball Team and AU students such as Jordann Lopata, Kaitlin Bean and a few others.

The Unified Sports Basketball League is one way to help students connect with Special Olympics athletes.

“There were other schools who had done a Unified Sports Basketball League, and it impacted the student body in a positive way,” Rec Center Programs Coordinator Krista Chauvin said. “I thought it would work well with Ashland students.”

This year, the four teams that will participate are the Red Wolves, the Blue Bobcats, the Green Dragons and the Orange Tigers.

Each team will have a minimum of five members, consisting of at least two Ashland University students and two or three students from the Gilroy Academy who is also a part of the Ashland Dragons Special Olympics Team.