The Women’s Basketball Invitational provides a choice for postseason worthy Division I Women’s teams who wish to continue their season but who do not qualify for the NCAA tournament. The 16 team event will take place over two weeks with all games being played on campus sites. Selections will be announced March 14, 2011 and the first round matchups will take place on March 16-17 with the Championship game tentatively scheduled for March 26 or 27.

• 16 teams, single elimination event
• Home teams keep all revenue
• Travel teams get paid each trip
• Tournament completed in two weeks
• No bid sheets or reconciliation forms to complete

Photo Gallery

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL
2009 - 2010

THERESA GRENTZ

• Head Coach at Rutgers (1976-1995) and University of Illinois (1995-2007)
• Tenth in wins on NCAA all time list: 671-309
• US Olympic Women’s Basketball Coach 1992
• Member Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
• National Collegiate Player of the Year 1976

JILL HUTCHISON

• Head Coach Illinois State University (1970-1999)
• 461 career wins
• 12 post season appearances
• 3 times Conference Coach of the Year
• First President of the WBCA

JOE CIAMPI

• Head Coach at Auburn (1979-2004) and US Military Academy (1977-1979)
• 607-213 record as Division I Head Coach
• 3 Final Fours, 10 Sweet Sixteens, 28-16 overall NCAA record
• 3 times named National Coach of the Year
• 4 SEC Regular Season Championships

MARY HILE-NEPFEL

• Head Coach University of San Francisco (1987-2006)
• 261 Career Wins at USF, Program Wins Leader
• Two Time WCC Coach of the Year
• 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
• 23 years in college coaching

CAREN HORSTMEYER

• Head Coach California-Berkley (2000-2005) and Santa Clara (1988-2000)
• 2004 PAC 10 Coach of the Year
• 4 NCAA Appearances
• 4 WCC Championships
• 1992-1996 USA Basketball/Olympic Selection Committee

What makes the WBI a better choice?

• It is an elite, 16-team single elimination tournament
• Home teams keep all revenue
• Travel teams get paid each trip
• Higher seeds host each round
• The tournament will be completed in two weeks
• No bid sheets or reconciliation forms to complete

Can teams bid for home games?

• No, teams cannot buy home games. Once teams are seeded, it will be clear which team is home and away each round.

Who picks and seeds the teams?

• The WBI Advisory Committee will; they are Theresa Grentz, Jill Hutchinson, Joe Ciampi, Caren Horstmeyer and Mary Hile-Nepfel and WBI Executive Director, Emily Bauer. At their discretion, the comittee will use their expertise, RPI, Sagarin, strength of schedule, quality wins and end of season trends.

What is the tournament format?

• A 16-team, single elimination tournament divided into two regions with 8 seeded teams in each. It is transparent and a true tournament format just like the NCAA.

Is there any revenue sharing required of the home teams?

• No. Home teams keep all revenue including tickets, sponsorships, parking, concessions, radio and television rights.

What is the guarantee required from host teams?

• $10,000 for the first and second rounds, $12,000 for the semifinal and final rounds.

Do teams have to make travel arrangements through Sport Tours?

• No. Teams make their arrangements through their normal vendors. Sport Tours International will assist if needed.

What guarantee will the travel teams receive?

• $7,000 for the first and second rounds, $9,000 for the semifinal and final rounds.

How will a team know if it is being considered for one of the sixteen positions?

• If you receive an agreement from Sport Tours, you are being considered.

Who selects the officials?

• Sally Bell is the official assignor. Official fees for the WBI are the responsibility of the home team.

What happens if we sign the agreement but the WBI doesn’t choose us?

• You are free and clear to go to another tournament.

Who is Sport Tours International?

• The first sport tour company to take teams on foreign tours beginning in 1972, we have been running women’s tournaments since 1987 in Nassau, Bahamas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cancun, Mexico and Las Vegas.

Sunday, March 28

Appalachian State 79, Memphis 71

Thursday, March 25

Appalachian State 77, College of Charleston 58

Memphis 80, TAMU Corpus Christi 58

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Memphis 74, Wichita State 58

Texas A&M CC 59, Washington 58

Appalachian State 59, Fairfield 36

College of Charleston 76, Bradley 66

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Memphis 72, UMKC 67

Appalachian State 62, Charleston Southern 47

Fairfield 69, Towson 55

Wichita State 67, Akron 61

Wednesday, March 17

College of Charleston 67, Morehead State 59

Bradley 69, Louisville 59

Texas A&M Corpus Christi 97, Cal State Bakersfield 89

Washington 75, Portland 44