CU-DU In Running For Final Four

INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee has identified seven cities for consideration to host the Women's Final Four beginning in 2008. The University of Colorado and the University of Denver in a joint bid are among the finalists.

The committee will evaluate the cities this winter and spring, and will name the sites in late June.

The cities with venue(s) and host(s) are:

-Denver, Pepsi Center, University of Colorado, Boulder and University of Denver

-Minneapolis, Hubert Humphrey Metrodome, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

-Philadelphia, First Union Center, University of Pennsylvania and St. Joseph's University

-San Antonio, Alamodome, University of Texas at San Antonio

-San Jose, HP Pavilion at San Jose, San Jose State University and Stanford University

-St. Louis, Edward Jones Dome or Savvis Center, Missouri Valley Conference

-Tampa, Tropicana Field or St. Petersburg Times Forum, University of South Florida

For the Women's Final Four, the minimum facility capacity is 18,000 and the minimum hotel room requirement is 3,500. The committee uses four general criteria when evaluating sites: the competition venue, lodging, transportation and the commitment and ability of the host and the city to administer the championship according to the committee's policies.

"We are thrilled with the amount of interest in the Women's Final Four," said Cheryl Marra, chair of the Division I Women's Committee and senior associate director of athletics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. "The number and quality of bids we received are positive signs that this event is continuing to grow as one of the premiere events in intercollegiate athletics."