July 2, 2002

Athens, Ga. --- Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum will host first and second-round games of the 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship next March, the NCAA announced on Monday. The sites were recommended by the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee and then approved by the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet.

Stegeman is one of 16 predetermined sites for first- and second-round games to be contested next March 22-25. Previously, the top-16 seeds were traditionally the host of first- and second-round games.

"I'm excited the Women's Basketball Committee has chosen us, and now that we know we're hosting, we want to make sure we're part of the Championship," head coach Andy Landers said. "I'm pleased the committee saw our event staff and facilities worthy of the honor of hosting. I think our selection is a direct reflection of the tremendous job our staff at Georgia does hosting Championship events."

Georgia has hosted first- and/or second-round action of the NCAA Women's Championships 16 times since 1983. The Lady Bulldogs have compiled a 20-2 record in those games. Stegeman Coliseum also hosted the 1988 Mideast Regional when Georgia lost to Auburn in the "Sweet 16" round of the tourney.

The Lady Bulldogs own one of the nation's richest NCAA Tournament histories. Georgia has participated in 19 of 21 editions of the NCAA Tourney, the second-best tally of any school in the nation. The Lady Dogs also rank third in NCAA games played (55) and fourth in games won (36). In addition, Georgia is one of only five schools to reach the NCAA Final Four on five occasions.

Other first- and second-round sites include: Manhattan, Kan.; University Park, Pa.; Norfolk, Va.; Boulder, Col.; Storrs, Conn.; Norman, Okla.; West Lafayette, Ind.; Stanford, Calif.; Eugene, Ore.; Raleigh, N.C.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Ruston, La.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Lubbock, Texas; and Albuquerque, N.M.