Oct. 26, 2010
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Old Dominion University has been selected as one of 16 host sites for first- and second-round games in the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship, it was announced Tuesday. Games will be played at the Ted Constant Convocation Center on either March 17 and 19 or March 18 and 20, with exact dates and ticket availability for those contests to be released at a later date.
"The opportunities to host high profile NCAA Championship events are increasingly challenging," said Old Dominion Athletic Director Dr. Camden Wood Selig. "The rich history of success in women's basketball at ODU, a state of the art basketball facility, and the outstanding community and corporate support exhibited for women's basketball throughout Hampton Roads are three variables that certainly served us well in our bid to host the first and second rounds of the women's NCAA Tournament in 2012 at the Ted Constant Center.
"A huge benefit for our women's basketball program is the ability to play on our home floor in these first two rounds should the Lady Monarchs be fortunate enough to make the field," he continued. "We are grateful to the NCAA women's basketball committee for the chance to once again showcase our University and community as the consummate hosts for a premier intercollegiate athletic sporting event."
Joining Old Dominion as host sites for early-round games in the 2012 NCAA Championship are (host schools in parentheses): Ames, Iowa (Iowa State); Baton Rouge, La. (LSU); Bowling Green, Ohio (Bowling Green); Bridgeport, Conn. (Fairfield); Chapel Hill, N.C. (North Carolina); Chicago, Ill. (DePaul); College Park, Md. (Maryland); College Station, Texas (Texas A&M); Little Rock, Arkansas (Arkansas-Little Rock); Nashville, Tenn. (Vanderbilt); Norman, Okla. (Oklahoma); Notre Dame, Ind. (Notre Dame); Spokane, Wash. (Gonzaga); Tallahassee, Fla. (Florida State), and West Lafayette, Ind. (Purdue).
"As a committee we are excited that in 2012 our championship will be hosted byinstitutions from 14 different conferences," said Marilyn McNeil, vice president and director of athletics at Monmouth University and chair of the Division I Women's Basketball Committee. "Having this blend of sites is important to the committee as we continue to look for ways to grow our game."
-ODU-