Fairfield University will host 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship first & second rounds

Fairfield University will host 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship first & second rounds

Fairfield University will host one of the eight first- and second-round tournaments for the 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon. The 2008 first and second rounds will be played at the Arena at Harbor Yard, home of the Fairfield University men's and women's basketball programs.

"I am happy that Fairfield University has been chosen to host the 2008 Women's Basketball Championship first and second rounds," Director of Athletics Gene Doris said. "Fairfield University continues its commitment to the City of Bridgeport and surrounding communities in bringing national tournaments to southwestern Connecticut. We appreciate the confidence that the NCAA has shown Fairfield University with this selection."

The other sites for the 2008 tournament include Albuquerque, N.M. (University of New Mexico), Baton Rouge, La. (Louisiana State University), College Park, Md. (University of Maryland), Des Moines, Iowa (Iowa State University), Norfolk, Va. (Old Dominion University), Stanford, Calif. (Stanford University), and West Lafayette, Ind. (Purdue University).

The first- and second-round sites were approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet. The games will be played either on Saturday, March 22 and Monday, March 24 or Sunday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 25. Dates will be assigned to specific sites in March, 2008.

Fairfield University will partner with the Coastal Fairfield County Sports Commission, which will help in the planning for the event. The Commission is a program of the region's Convention and Visitors Bureau, and represents 13 communities of southwestern Connecticut.

Fairfield University and the Arena at Harbor Yard will host tournaments in five of the next six years, beginning with the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Regional tournament in March. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's and women's basketball tournaments will come to Bridgeport in 2007. The NCAA also awarded the 2009 and 2011 Men's Ice Hockey Regionals to co-hosts Fairfield University and Yale University.

Posted On: 07-06-2005 09:07 AM

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