Now that the NCAA has assured that ESPN will be the broadcasting home for women's college basketball through 2013, the Division I Women's Basketball Committee has turned to format changes that will ensure the greatest exposure for the tournament.

In an effort to boost exposure for all rounds of the Division I Women's Basketball Championship, the committee, which met July 1-6 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, wants to conduct two of the four regional tournaments on Saturday/Monday and the other two on Sunday/Tuesday. Currently, all four regionals are on a Saturday/Monday schedule. The committee believes the proposed format change will reduce the number of times that women's games overlap with the Division I men's games, as well as with other women's games. The committee also feels that the change can be accomplished without significantly affecting missed class time for student-athletes.

If possible, the committee is suggesting this change be in effect for the 2003 championship to be played in Atlanta. All the recommendations will go to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet for review at its September meeting.

"The committee has seen how hosting the Women's Final Four increases interest in women's basketball and helps in building the sport at the grass-roots level, so we are excited to be able to bring the event to three new communities," said Donna Noonan, NCAA vice-president for the Division I Women's Basketball Championship.

The Women's Final Four will celebrate its 25th anniversary in Boston in 2006, near Springfield, Massachusetts, where basketball was founded.

In other action, the committee reaffirmed its recommendation to establish predetermined sites beginning with the 2003 championship and will request that the Championships/Competition Cabinet give it a high priority in its 2002-03 funding requests.

The committee also approved criteria for the issuance of media credentials for the championship to online agencies.