Texas, Erwin Center to host NCAA Women's Basketball Championship games
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee has selected the first- and second-round and regional sites for the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championships, and once again, The University of Texas has been chosen as a host site, with the Frank Erwin Center serving as a first- and second-round site in 2010. The NCAA made the announcement Thursday. Texas and the Erwin Center, which seats 16,775, also will serve as a first- and second-round site this upcoming season as UT hosts an eight-team first- and second-round format on March 17 and 19, 2007. In 2003, the NCAA went to all pre-determined sites for all rounds of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. UT hosted the event in Austin in 2004, then co-hosted with Texas Tech at a neutral site (Reunion Arena in Dallas) in 2005. Cities chosen to host first- and second-round games in 2009 include Albuquerque, N.M.; Baton Rouge, La.; College Park, Md.; Columbus, Ohio; Duluth, Ga.; Lubbock, Texas; Los Angeles, Calif.; and Piscataway, N.J. The four regionals (Final 16/Final Eight) for 2009 will be at Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Trenton, N.J. The first- and second-rounds of the 2010 championship will be played in Austin; Berkeley; Knoxville, Tenn.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Norfolk, Va.; Notre Dame, Ind.; Tempe, Ariz.; and Trenton. The four 2010 regional sites are at Dayton, Ohio; Kansas City, Mo., and hosted by the Big 12 Conference; Memphis, Tenn.; and Sacramento, Calif. The exact dates for the sites will be announced at a later date. St. Louis will host the 2009 Women's Final Four at the Edward Jones Dome (capacity 43,00) and San Antonio will serve as the host city in 2010 where the Women's Final Four will take place at the Alamodome (capacity 30,000). "We are very pleased that the NCAA recognizes the tremendous interest in women's basketball that we have here in Austin," noted Texas head coach Jody Conradt. "The NCAA Championship is our sport's showcase event, and for us to have the opportunity to host in both 2007 and 2010 after serving as a host site in 2004 in Austin as well, demonstrates to everyone that we have a tremendous facility and fan base." "The high level of interest in our championship that we found from cities, institutions and conferences across the country was very pleasing to our committee," said Joni Comstock, director of athletics at American University and chair of the Division I Women's Basketball Committee. "To be able to get a good blend of cities that have past hosting experience in combination with a number of new cities and venues is good for the continued growth of the game of women's basketball and our championship."
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