Division I institutions/conferences interested in hosting preliminary round games of the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship have the opportunity to bid to host beginning in July. A total of 20 sites will be selected to host first- and second-round and regional competition in 2011. 

“Since our championship has expanded to 20 preliminary round sites per championship year, there is a tremendous opportunity for Division I member institutions/conferences and their local communities to become involved in our championship in a way that they may not have been able to in the past,” said Jacki Silar, chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and associate director of athletics at Duke University. “This is an exciting time for the game of collegiate women’s basketball and we anticipate a tremendous amount of interest from the membership.”

The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee will begin the bid process with a notification memo being sent to each Division I institution/conference via e-mail on July 2 describing the process and corresponding deadlines.

Should an institution/conference wish to host, they must submit a Declaration of Intent to Bid form by July 13.

This form is not a “commitment” to bid, but strictly an indication that the institution/conference may have an interest in bidding.

On July 27, the NCAA women’s basketball staff will conduct a pre-bid informational teleconference with the prospective hosts.

Complete bid information will be due by 5 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, September 11. 

The Division I Women’s Basketball Committee will review materials and forward the recommended sites to the Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet in late October.  Institutions/conferences will be notified in mid-November.