Hartford, Conn. - The NCAA has selected Trinity College as the host for the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship (Quarterfinals and Semifinals), the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship, and the 2025 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship. Trinity was already set to host its first-ever NCAA Division III Championship in November 2021 when the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship will head to Hartford on November 20 and 21. Trinity has previously hosted the College Squash Association (CSA) National Men's and Women's Team Championships and the CSA National Singles Championships on its courts in the George A. Kellner Squash Center.
"We are thrilled to bring these NCAA Championships to Hartford and Trinity's campus," said Trinity Athletic Director Drew Galbraith. "It will be an amazing opportunity to showcase high-level basketball, ice hockey, and field hockey and hundreds of talented student-athletes, while providing an exceptional championship atmosphere to all the participants and spectators. We appreciate the support of the City of Hartford and the Connecticut Convention and Sports Bureau in partnership to bring these NCAA Championships to our community."
For only the third time in its history, the NCAA undertook a site selection process where most of its championships were put out for bid at the same time, and the Association made more than 450 selections of host sites for preliminary rounds and final sites of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II and III, with most to be held from 2022-23 through 2025-26. The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA's 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCAA sports committees and approved by the divisional competition oversight and championships committees. The NCAA sports committees made the nearly 450 selections of host sites based on criteria that included the ability to create an outstanding experience for student-athletes, along with adherence to NCAA sport-specific bid specifications. Specifications can include, but are not limited to, providing optimal facilities; ease of travel to the location and ample lodging; and adherence to NCAA principles, which include providing an atmosphere that is safe and respects the dignity of all attendees.
"Hosting the NCAA Championships is tremendous for our program, our school, and the Hartford community," said Trinity Head Women's Basketball Coach Emily Garner. "It's a great honor and reflects the level of commitment that Trinity has towards athletics. We're excited to showcase all that we have to offer and appreciate the dedication of our administration and the greater campus community in order to make this possible."
The Bantams finished the 2019-20 women's basketball season with a 16-9 overall record and in fifth place in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) with a 5-5 league mark. The Bantams qualified for the NESCAC Championship Tournament, falling at Williams, 65-56, in the quarterfinals. Trinity appeared in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament in 1995 and 1997, advancing to the second round in 1995.
"Trinity hosting the 2024 NCAA Championships gives me great pride," said Trinity Head Men's Ice Hockey Coach Matt Greason. "Our first-class facility, built on the strength and generosity of our alumni, will be the center of the Division III hockey world and that is a great feeling as a proud Trinity alum. Moreover, we have hosted so many successful NCAA games over the past several years and our staff has done such an outstanding job during those events, that we earned the confidence from the NCAA to host. As it is my goal every year, I am hopeful we can continue the path of our program and win another National Championship banner, but this time on home ice."
Trinity men's ice hockey finished the 2019-20 season with a 19-7-1 overall record and second in the NESCACwith a 12-5-1 league mark. The Bantams qualified for the NESCACChampionship Tournament, winning, 5-3, against Amherst in the quarterfinals and, 3-2, over Hamilton in the semifinals at Williams before falling, 7-1, versus Wesleyan at Williams in the league finals. Trinity closed the year as the No. 9-ranked team in the United States College Hockey Online.com (USCHO) Division III National Poll. The Bantams have made seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament and reached three NCAA Finals Fours. In 2015, Trinity won the NCAA title with a 5-2 victory over Wisc.-Stevens Point in the finals in Minneapolis, Minn.
"It is exciting to bring the NCAA Field Hockey Championship to New England and to the NESCAC twice in the next five years," said Trinity Head Field Hockey Coach Anne Parmenter. "It will be great to spotlight our wonderful Robin L. Sheppard Field."
Trinity finished the 2019 field hockey campaign with an 8-8 record and finished eighth in the NESCAC with a 3-7 record in the league. The Bantams qualified for the NESCAC Championship Tournament for the 14th consecutive season, falling at Middlebury, 3-1, in the quarterfinal round. Trinity College field hockey has participated in eight NCAA Division III tournaments, most recently in 2017, and played in the NCAA Final Four in both 1993 and 1998.
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