Four WCHA Schools To Host Future NCAA Events
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June 30, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee has selected the Savvis Center in St. Louis as the site for the 2007 NCAA Men's Frozen Four and the Pepsi Center in Denver as the host site for 2008.
The committee also selected regional sites for 2005, 2006 and 2007. Because of last year's expansion of the championship field from 12 to 16 teams, the committee also expanded the number of regional sites from two to four, which resulted in naming two more sites for 2005 and 2006, in addition to the sites that were previously chosen.
The Mullins Center on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, was awarded a bid to host the 2005 Northeast Regional, March 26-27, while Western Michigan University was selected to host the 2005 Midwest Regional at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich., March 25-26.
For the 2006 East regional, the bid was awarded to Boston University and the Worcester Centrum Centre, March 24-25, while the Midwest Region bid was awarded to Michigan Technological University and the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis., March 25-26.
The other previously chosen regional sites for 2005 and 2006 are: Worcester Centrum Centre, March 25-26, 2005 East Region host, and the Mariucci Arena on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, March 26-27, 2005 West Region host; Pepsi Arena in Albany, N.Y., March 25-26, and co-hosts Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), 2006 East Region; and the University of North Dakota and Englestad Arena, March 24-25, 2006 West Regional host.
The 2007 East Regional will be held at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y., March 23-24, with the ECAC serving as host, while the Northeast Regional went to the University of New Hampshire's bid with the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H., March 24-25. The 2007 West Regional bid was awarded to the University of Denver and the Pepsi Arena March 24-25, in Denver, while Western Michigan's Van Andel Arena was selected as the site for the Midwest Region, March 23-24.
"The committee couldn't be more excited about the selection of St. Louis and Denver as our next two Frozen Four sites," said Ron Grahame, current member and incoming chair of the Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee. "Everyone involved in college hockey should have a wonderful experience in both cities. However, it was such a difficult decision as all five cities gave very professional presentations and showed tremendous enthusiasm about college hockey."
College Hockey America and the St. Louis Sports Commission will serve as co-hosts for the 2007 NCAA Frozen Four that will be held April 5-7, at the home of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues. St. Louis previously hosted the 1975 NCAA Frozen Four at the St. Louis Arena. The University of Denver and the Metro Denver Sports Commission will co-host the April 10-12, 2008, event at the home of the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche. Colorado has been the host state for 14 previous Frozen Fours, but none since 1976 when it was held in the University of Denver Arena. Denver has hosted three previous times, while the remaining championships were held in Colorado Springs.
The committee also announced that the 2004 NCAA Men's Frozen Four, held April 8-10, at the FleetCenter in Boston, is officially sold out. This marks the fifth consecutive year and seven of the last eight that the event has sold out.
For the third straight year, a priority system was used during the sale and distribution of tickets. Priority was based on the number of ticket purchases made during the last seven years, in ranking order (seven years worth of purchases, six years, etc.). Seat locations also are arranged on a priority basis.
The 2005 NCAA Frozen Four will be held at the Value City Arena on the campus of Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, April 7-9, while the 2006 NCAA Frozen Four will be held April 6-8, at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
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