Ridder Arena to Host 2004 Women's Final Five
June 12, 2003
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MADISON, Wis. - The Western Collegiate Hockey Association and associate commissioner Sara Martin announced Thursday that the 2004 WCHA Women's Final Five will take place at Ridder Arena on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The tournament is slated for Friday, March 12 to Sunday, March 14, 2004.
"We are excited to play our tournament in the country's only rink believed built specifically for women's ice hockey," said Martin. "The Final Five has developed into one of the nation's premier women's ice hockey events and it deserves a premier facility like Ridder Arena."
Ridder Arena, which opened at the start of the 2002-03 season, has an NHL-sized ice sheet (200' x 85') and can seat nearly 3,400 spectators. At a cost of $20 million, the building also includes the Baseline Tennis Center, and boasts 11 locker rooms, as well as athletic training, laundry and equipment rooms. An underground tunnel, which houses the rink's zamboni, also connects Ridder to adjacent Mariucci Arena.
Game times for the 2004 WCHA Women's Final Five have been set with the fourth and fifth seeds for the tournament opening play on Friday, March 12 at 4 p.m. On Saturday, March 13, the second and third seeds face off at 1 p.m., followed by the WCHA regular-season champions facing the winner of Friday's contest. The third-place contest begins Sunday, March 14 at 1 p.m., followed by the 2004 WCHA Women's Final Five Championship Game at 4 p.m. Ticket pricing and availability will be announced at a later date.
The top-five finishers from the regular season in the seven-team WCHA qualify for the 2004 WCHA Women's Final Five. Bemidji State, Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State, Ohio State, St. Cloud State and Wisconsin currently make up the League membership. North Dakota will join League play with the start of the 2004-05 campaign.
2003 NCAA Champion Minnesota-Duluth won the 2003 WCHA Women's Final Five, held at Ralph Engelstad Arena last March in Grand Forks, N.D. The Bulldogs defeated the Gophers, 5-3, in last year's championship game.
2004 WCHA Women's Final Five Ridder Arena, Minneapolis March 12-14, 2004Friday March 12 Seed 4 vs. Seed 5 4:00 p.m. Saturday March 13 Seed 2 vs. Seed 3 1:00 p.m. Seed 1 vs. Seed 4/5 Winner 4:00 p.m. Sunday March 14 Third-place Game 1:00 p.m. Championship Game 4:00 p.m.
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