OU Awarded 2010 NCAA Tournament Games

Feb. 12, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee selected the University of Oklahoma as an additional site for the first and second rounds of the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.

The sites were approved by the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and announced by the association Tuesday.

"We are delighted to bring the NCAA Tournament to Norman," OU Vice President for Athletics Programs Joe Castiglione said. "A large fan base that has been loyal to OU and women's basketball makes it possible for our staff to bid aggressively in securing these events. There are a number of people ranging from those fans to Sherri Coale and her program that should be congratulated for creating such a wonderful environment, but I would be remiss in failing to mention a dedicated athletics department staff that not only navigates the bid process so well, but also hosts events in the professional manner that keeps the NCAA coming back for more. Those individuals recognize the tremendous benefit these events are to not only Norman and our campus but also to the entire state of Oklahoma."

The University of Oklahoma was one of 17 universities to be awarded NCAA Championship games for either the 2009 or 2010 season. OU will host games at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., either Saturday, March 20, and Monday, March 22, or Sunday, March 21, and Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

An exact schedule will be announced at a later date.

The sites were added after the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee announced in the summer of 2007 that the championship would be expanding to 16 pre-determined first- and second-round sites beginning in 2009.

"We're obivously excited to have the NCAA Tournament in Norman once again," OU head women's basketball coach Sherri Coale said. "Hosting the 2004 NCAA Regional was a tremendous experience and reward for our university, our community and our fans.

"A key to advancing in the NCAA Championship is having the crowd on your side. I'm thrilled we will be able to experience that early and often in the next few seasons."

Additional cities chosen to host first- and second-round games in 2009 include Bowling Green, Kentucky; Chattanooga, Tennessee; East Lansing, Michigan; Iowa City, Iowa; Notre Dame, Indiana; San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington and Storrs, Connecticut.

The additional first and second rounds of the 2010 championship will be played in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Ames, Iowa; Cincinnati, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; Norman, Oklahoma; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Tallahassee, Florida and Seattle.

"The committee was pleased with the amount of interest generated when we announced that we were going to 16 pre-determined sites again in 2009 and 2010," Judy Southard, senior associate director of athletics at Louisiana State University and chair of the Division I Women's Basketball Committee, said. "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."

In addition to the 2010 NCAA Championship first and second rounds, the Norman/Oklahoma City area will host several premier women's basketball tournaments in the near future. In Oklahoma City, the Ford Center will host the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Championship Regional and the Cox Center will again play host to the Big 12 Tournament Championship in 2009. The University of Oklahoma has secured rounds of the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament to be played at the Lloyd Noble Center in November 2009.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The following first- and second-round sites have been added to host games either Saturday, March 21, and Monday, March 23 or Sunday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 24, 2009:

Site	Host
E.A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, Kentucky	Western Kentucky University
McKenzie Arena Chattanooga, Tennessee	University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Jack Breslin Student Events Center East Lansing, Michigan	Michigan State University
Carver-Hawkeye Arena Iowa City, Iowa	University of Iowa
Joyce Center Notre Dame, Indiana	University of Notre Dame
Cox Arena San Diego, California	San Diego State University
Bank of America Arena Seattle, Washington	University of Washington
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Storrs, Connecticut	University of Connecticut

The following first- and second-round sites will host games either Saturday, March 20, and Monday, March 22 or Sunday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 23, 2010:

Site	Host
The Pit/Bob King Court Albuquerque, New Mexico	University of New Mexico
James. H. Hilton Coliseum Ames, Iowa	Iowa State University
Cintas Center Cincinnati, Ohio	Xavier University
Cameron Indoor Stadium Durham, North Carolina	Duke University
Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky	University of Louisville
Lloyd Noble Center Norman, Oklahoma	University of Oklahoma
Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	University of Pittsburgh
Donald L. Tucker Center Tallahassee, Florida	Florida State University
Bank of America Arena Seattle, Washington	University of Washington

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors