Regional dates for the Division I Women's Basketball Championship have been adjusted for 2003. The Mideast and Midwest games will be played March 29 and 31 and the East and West games are March 30 and April 1.

The format change, which was proposed by the Division I Women's Basketball Committee and approved by the Championships/Competition Cabinet in September, is an effort to reduce the number of women's games being played simultaneously during the tournament, as well as the number of games that are played at the same times as Division I men's tournament games.

The regional games have all been played on Saturday/Monday in previous years.

"The greatest benefit of the change (in regional format) is obviously that none of our regional games should conflict with each other as they have in the past," said Maryalyce Jeremiah, committee chair and senior associate director of athletics at California State University, Fullerton. "Each game will have its own time slots, and TV can get these games on for everyone to see over four days instead of two."

During its meeting October 22-25 in San Antonio, the committee also decided to require all teams to remain on the floor for the national anthem during tournament games -- an effort to consistently recognize and pay tribute to those who have suffered as a result of recent national tragedies.

"The committee has always looked for ways to honor our country throughout the championship," Jeremiah said. "The presentation of the colors with notable performers to sing the national anthem has been some evidence of that. With the change in the protocol in asking the teams to be on the floor during the national anthem, we are making the statement at our championship that we are proud to be Americans and are not going to forget September 11.

"I am confident our coaches and athletes will find this an extremely meaningful moment as the participants reflect on our country."