Issued: March 9, 2003

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SELECTED TO HOST NCAA SECTIONAL

EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team has been selected to host one of four NCAA sectionals this Friday and Saturday at W.L. Zorn Arena.

On Friday Wilmington (OH) College will face Hope (MI) College at 5:00 P.M followed by UW-Eau Claire versus Pacific Lutheran (WA) at 7:15 P.M. The winner of both games will face each other Saturday night at 7:00 P.M. with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division III Final Four hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana March 21-22.

Eau Claire previously hosted a sectional final in 1992 in addition to being the home of the 1994 Final Four. Since that time Eau Claire has hosted several first and second round NCAA tournament games.

The Lutes of Pacific Lutheran are located in Tacoma, Washington and will bring a 21-7 record to Zorn Arena. Pacific Lutheran automatically qualified for the NCAA tournament after defeating Whitworth (WA) 68-58 in the Northwest Conference Tournament Championship. The Lutes received a first round bye before defeating Gustavus Adolphus (MN) 68-54 on March 8.

The Flying Dutch of Hope College are located in Holland, Michigan and bring a perfect 30-0 mark to Eau Claire. Hope automatically qualified for the NCAA tournament by defeating Alma 63-49 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament Championship. The Dutch advanced to this weekend by defeating Mount St. Joseph of Ohio 75-63 and Washington and Jefferson of Pennsylvania 71-60.

The Lady Quakers of Wilmington College are located in Wilmington, Ohio and bring a 26-2 mark to this weekend's sectional. Wilmington automatically qualified for the NCAA tournament by defeating Baldwin-Wallace 79-72 in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. The Lady Quakers would defeat Baldwin-Wallace one week later 74-63 to advance to the round of 16.

Tickets go on sale at 12:00 PM (noon) Monday at the UW-Eau Claire Service Center. There will be a tournament ticket as well as single day tickets available. Tickets for Friday night will include both games. Single day tickets are all general admission and will be $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for youths and students. Tournament passes are $10 for adults and $8 for all others.

There will be a limited number (150) of tournament reserved section tickets for $12. In addition there will be no single day reserved tickets available.

Only half of Zorn Arena will be available for advanced sale until the three visiting teams get a chance at their allocation of 350 tickets each. If they do not utilize their allotment then the tickets will be released to the general public 24 hours prior to game time.