Horizon League, Butler To Co-Host 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Regional
July 6, 2006
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The Horizon League and member institution Butler University have been selected to co-host a Regional of the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee announced Thursday (July 6). The regional semifinals will be played Friday, March 27, with the regional championship to follow Sunday, March 29, at the new Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.
The Regional will mark the first NCAA basketball championship games to be held in Indianapolis since this past season's Men's Final Four and will be the first at Lucas Oil Stadium, currently under construction just south of the RCA Dome.
"We are pleased to have another opportunity to co-host an NCAA Division I Men's Basketball event with Butler University; our community partners Indiana Sports Corporation, the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association, the Capitol Improvement Board; and our many community corporate sponsors," said Jonathan B. LeCrone, Horizon League Commissioner and co-chair of the Indianapolis Local Organizing Committee (ILOC).
"Thanks to this unique partnership, Indianapolis has established a long and proud history of hosting NCAA Championships. We look forward to hosting our first regional in 2009 and believe it will be a great opportunity to prepare for the Men's Final Four in 2010 and the Women's Final Four in 2011."
The Horizon League, Butler and the city of Indianapolis have hosted numerous NCAA men's and women's basketball championship events in recent years, including four Men's Final Fours in the last 15 years (1991, 1997, 2000 and 2006) and the Women's Final Four in 2005.
Indianapolis also has been the site of men's preliminary round games in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2005. A total of 60 NCAA games were held at the RCA Dome in that span, which marks the fifth-highest total of any arena in NCAA history behind only Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.; the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah; New York City's Madison Square Garden and the University of Dayton (Ohio) Arena.
"Butler University takes great pride in joining with the Horizon League and the city of Indianapolis to host NCAA national championship events," said Butler interim athletic director Jon Hind. "We're pleased that the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee has recognized our past efforts and has selected Indianapolis to host this prestigious tournament."
The Indianapolis regional adds to the slate of championship events scheduled to be hosted by the Horizon League and its member institutions over the next five years. Besides the Indianapolis dates, this includes the Women's Final Four to be co-hosted by Cleveland State University and Mid-American Conference in 2007 at Quicken Loans Arena, as well as a Men's Regional in 2008 and the Men's Final Four in 2009 to be hosted by the University of Detroit Mercy at Ford Field.
Cities hosting first and second round games of the 2009 tournament will be Philadelphia; Miami; Greensboro, N.C.; Minneapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Spokane, Wash.; and Portland, Ore. The other three regionals will take place in Boston; Memphis, Tenn.; and Glendale, Ariz.
Opening-weekend games of the 2010 championship will be played in Buffalo, N.Y.; Providence, R.I.; Jacksonville, Fla.; New Orleans; Oklahoma City; Milwaukee; San Jose, Calif.; and Boise, Idaho. The four regional sites are Syracuse, N.Y.; St. Louis; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Houston, which will serve as host of the 2011 Men's Final Four.
"The committee is pleased with the high level of interest cities, institutions and conferences across the country have shown in serving as hosts to our championship," said Craig Littlepage, Director of Athletics at the University of Virginia and chair of the Division I Men's Basketball Committee. "This championship continues to grow in popularity among fans of all ages and areas of the country. That interest translates into unequalled energy in the host venues, which are sold out every year. The preliminary rounds afford us the opportunity to bring the championship to all parts of the country and the enthusiasm and commitment these cities have shown in administering the championship is overwhelming. We feel like there is a good mix of cities and venues that have previously demonstrated the ability to successfully serve as hosts, while at the same time there are several new cities and venues that will have the opportunity to host for the first time."
