FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State has been selected to host the first and second rounds of the 2005 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee announced Thursday.
The Administrative Committee of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet has approved the sites.
"We are honored to host the first of its kind event at the Save Mart Center and we know our community will support this prestigious tournament," athletics director Scott Johnson said. "Again, this shows our continued commitment to our women's athletic program."
"We are thrilled to have an opportunity to host a NCAA Regional on our home court," women's basketball Head Coach Stacy Johnson-Klein said. "Our attendance success last year in the Save Mart Center provided a tremendous boost to our program and we look forward to showcasing our facility on a national stage."
The first- and second-rounds for the 2005 and 2006 championships will be conducted at eight pre-determined sites, which represents a format change from the 16 first- and second-round sites in previous years.
Ticket information will be available on gobulldogs.com at a later date.
The following sites will host games Saturday, March 19, and Monday, March 21, 2005:
Reunion Arena (17,767)
Dallas, Texas
University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University, hosts
Save Mart Center (15,621)
Fresno, California
Fresno State, host
Williams Arena (14,625)
Minneapolis
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, host
Bank of America Arena (9,394)
Seattle, Wash.
University of Washington, host
The following sites will host games Sunday, March 20, and Tuesday, March 22, 2005:
Dean E. Smith Center (21,000)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, host
Comcast Center (17,950)
College Park, Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park, host
Thompson-Boling Arena (25,000)
Knoxville, Tennessee
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, host
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,167)
Storrs, Connecticut
University of Connecticut, host