2022 Hercules Tires MAAC Basketball Championships Program

F E AT U RE S T O RY

F E AT U RE S T O RY

RETURNING TO THE CAPITAL REGION Exactly 20 years after the inaugural NCAA hosted MAAC event at Knickerbocker Arena, the conference would return to once again put on a first-class championship for the nation in Albany, NY. Now named the Times Union Center, the MAAC and Siena would reunite to host the 2015 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Albany Regional. The Albany Regional produced numerous storylines, but the headline of the region was the return of former (and now current) Siena women’s basketball head coach Jim Jabir, to the Capital Region. Jabir would lead the Dayton Flyers to the program’s first ever Elite Eight appearance, where they ended up falling to the top-ranked team in the country and No. 1 overall seed UConn, a Huskies team that would go on to win their third straight national championship eight days later. In March 2018, the MAAC and Siena teamed up again to host the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Albany Regional for the second time. This time around, the Albany Regional was the highest attended site out of the four regions with over 20,000 fans in attendance over the two days of competition. As a result of the accomplishments earned by the MAAC and Siena in 1995, 2015, and 2018, the pair were also awarded a Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds for the 2020 season, which was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19. Despite the cancellation in 2020, the NCAA championship will make its return to the Capital Region in 2023 and 2024 at the aforementioned MVP Arena, making Albany the destination that has hosted the second most NCAA Championships co-hosted by the MAAC. “The NCAA Tournaments have such nationwide interest, so to be able to bring an event with that level of popularity to the Capital Region speaks to the value of basketball in the area, the fanbase, and the overall community support of college basketball,” Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics, John D'Argenio said. “To be able to have a national event with worldwide popularity in MVP Arena is exciting, and everyone in the Albany area comes together to be a great host.”

In addition to the plethora of men’s basketball NCAA events in downtown Buffalo, the MAAC has also merged with Canisius and Niagara for the pinnacle of Division I Men’s Ice Hockey, hosting both the 2003 and 2019 Frozen Fours (the equivalent to basketball’s final four). The 2003 national semifinals and championship totaled in-person viewership numbers of 55,745, selling out all three sessions. The total attendance was the second largest at the time since the late 1980’s and was the fourth highest attendance for the Frozen Four all-time to date. In 2019, the Frozen Four at KeyBank Center recorded a final attendance of 53,350. With a proven track record of successful NCAA Championships in Western New York, the MAAC, Canisius, Niagara, and KeyBank Center will look to add another sellout Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds next week when they host the 2022 First and Second Rounds for the seventh time, and ninth overall NCAA Championship. “Our team here in Buffalo is among the most experienced in the country at hosting NCAA Championship Events as this is the 9 th NCAA Championship event at what is now the KeyBank Center,” Canisius Director of Athletics Bill Maher said. “Our history of hosting successful NCAA Championship events is a key reason the NCAA returns to Buffalo and why with WNY community embraces the event each time we are fortunate enough to host.” “Buffalo’s selection as the host of the 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball First and Second Rounds is further proof of our destination's growing reputation as a premier city for college and amateur athletic events,” President & CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara Patrick Kaler said. “This event will bring thousands of visitors to Western New York and generate a significant economic impact for our hotels and restaurants during a typically slower time of year. Each tournament we successfully host gives us more momentum to land additional first-rate athletic events in the future. I commend the MAAC and the local organization committee who was involved in bringing the tournament to our resurgent destination this year and in the future.”

MAAC also hosted the 2013 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Regional at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut alongside Fairfield University. HOW IT’S GOING As the collaborative partnership between the MAAC and NCAA continues to enhance, more hosting responsibilities have been granted to the conference. In 2020 the MAAC was awarded additional future NCAA hosting opportunities from 2022 through 2026. Coming up this year on March 17 th and 19 th , the MAAC, Canisius College, and Niagara University will host the aforementioned Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds at KeyBank Center. On the future docket for the league are the 2023 Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds and the 2024 Women’s Basketball Regionals, which will both take place at the MVP Arena with co-host Siena. For the third time, the MAAC will merge with the Ivy League to host the 2025 Women’s Rowing National Championships (Divisions I, II, and III) at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, NJ. Lastly, in 2026, the MAAC along with Canisius and Niagara will again serve as co-host for the Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds at KeyBank Center. By having an excellent working relationship with various facilities, and a top reputation for hosting events, the MAAC has been awarded 24 total, past, present, and future NCAA Championships, a quantity that is sure to grow. The mutualistic relationship enhances the NCAA’s events and helps further the MAAC’s mission of nationwide recognition for hosting top notch events.

“Albany, New York has long been a huge college basketball championship market. The 1995 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds sold out in Albany before any other market in the country. The same thing occurred when we hosted the 2003 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball East Regional Championship,” General Manager of MVP Arena Bob Belber explained. “The 2023 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball First & Second Rounds returns to Albany. The NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball East Regional has been hosted numerous times with near sellout crowds and the MAAC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament has been hosted in Albany 19 times.” EXPANDING THE NCAA FOOTPRINT Although the MAAC’s track record of the NCAA events have been predominately men’s and women’s basketball, the conference has delved into a variety of other NCAA championships in locations outside of both Buffalo and Albany. Of the 18 total MAAC hosted NCAA events, the league has also run two NCAA Division I, II, & III Rowing Championships with the Ivy League at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, NJ in 2012 and 2017, the 2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Northeast Regional at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, New York with Iona and Manhattan, and the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Rider University. The MAAC and Rider also joined forces for a pair of NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournaments at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ in 2006 (First and Second Rounds) and in 2009 (Regional). The 2006 event recorded the third highest attendance for the women's championship First & Second Rounds. The

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