SPORTS:

UMD To Host NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament in 2008 and 2009

by LAQUASHA BIVENS

It's been a very exciting year for the Lady Terrapins. They captured the 2006 NCAA Division I title and are contenders for a 2006 ESPY Award.

The University of Maryland has been chosen to host the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament back-to-back in 2008 and 2009 . The announcement was made July 6 by the NCAA Division Women’s Basketball Committee.

The newly-built state-of-the-art Comcast Center will host the first and second rounds each year. It is one of eight sites to host the beginning of the tournaments both years.

“We have one of the best facilities in the nation and some of the best fans in the country. We are looking forward to showing off our great campus, hospitality, and fan support once again,” head coach Brenda Frese said in a statement on the Terps’ website.

This decision adds to a very exciting year for the Lady Terrapins, who captured the 2006 NCAA Division I title after an overtime victory against Duke and is currently up for a 2006 ESPY Award—a yearly sports performance award ceremony—in the “Best Team” category from ESPN.

This is not the first time the University of Maryland has hosted in the NCAA Tournament. They most recently were the site of the 2005 tournament, which demonstrated that the University of Maryland staff is up to the challenge of hosting such large events.

“Our staff has run an efficient tournament in the past and the fan support has been terrific,” said University Athletics Director Deborah Yow in a statement on the Terps’ website.

To learn about women’s basketball at the University of Maryland, visit the team’s official website at umterps.cstv.com. Click the “Vote Terps for ESPY” link to cast your vote for the Lady Terrapins for the 2006 ESPY Awards, scheduled to air Sunday, July 16 at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Laquasha C. Bivens is a freelance writer who is studying journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Copyright © 2006 The Baltimore Chronicle. All rights reserved.

Republication or redistribution of Baltimore Chronicle content is expressly prohibited without their prior written consent.

This story was published on July 12, 2006.