January 18, 2013

Women’s Basketball Accepts Bid To 2013-14 Preseason WNIT Tournament

HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac University women's basketball team has announced that the Bobcats will be one of 16 teams in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the 2013-14 season. Quinnipiac will take part in the opening round on Friday, November 8, 2013 in the annual invitation-only tournament.

"We are honored and thrilled that our women's basketball program will be invited for the first time to the 2013 Pre-Season WNIT," said Quinnipiac's Athletic Director, Jack McDonald. "This is a credit to Coach Fabbri and her program for being invited to start our 2013-14 in this prestigious WNIT pre-season tournament".

Teams are selected for the Preseason WNIT based on their program's expected success for that season, their relevant past, their conference standings, fan base, and geographical location, to name a few criteria. The teams that compete well in the Preseason WNIT typically go on to finish very strong and advance to postseason play.

"We are honored and excited to be participating in a preseason WNIT next season," said head coach Tricia Fabbri. "We are thrilled that the committee has recognized our success over the last two years. We have tried to build our program by competing against better programs across the country and we look forward to yet another exciting matchup against a tough opponent."

The event features a three-game guarantee format. All games, including the semifinals and championship, are hosted by participating schools at their home facility. The initial round of the event involves eight sites hosted by participating institutions.

The Preseason WNIT began in its modern form in 1994. It is organized and produced by Triple Crown Sports, a national sports event company based in Fort Collins, Colo. The 16-team Preseason WNIT was originally a single-elimination exempt event, and moved to the current three-game guarantee format in 2007. Throughout the years, more than 200 of the nation's Division I teams have played in the event, representing all 32 conferences.

Earlier this season, North Carolina's women's basketball team won its second Preseason WNIT title with a 77-64 victory over Iowa. Baylor, the eventual 2012 NCAA National Champion, won in the fall of 2011, while Purdue and Ohio State claimed titles in the two years prior to the Bears.

Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for Quinnipiac women's basketball can call the QU Ticket Office at 203-582-3905, visit the official website of Quinnipiac athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com or make a trip to the TD Bank Sports Center Ticket Office.

Contact: Bethany Buckholz; bethany.buckholz@quinnipiac.edu