INDIANAPOLIS---The 35th anniversary celebration of NCAA women’s basketball championships will include ancillary events for fans of all ages as well as numerous community enhancement projects as part of the 2016 NCAA Women’s Final Four and NCAA Division II and III Women’s Basketball Championship games to be played in Indianapolis the first week in April.
Championship week will culminate with five championship basketball games and three national titles decided within a 48-hour period at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. It will be the first time in the history of NCAA women’s basketball that all three divisional championships will be decided in the same city and venue. The Women’s Final Four national semifinals will be played Sunday, April 3 at 6 and 8:30 p.m. EST. The Division II and III national championship games will be played on Monday, April 4 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, while the Division I national championship game will be played on Tuesday, April 5 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets for all games are now on sale at NCAA.com/WBBTickets.
While the action inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse will be historic and significant, fan interactive activities outside the arena will be equally unforgettable. Fans of all ages are invited to participate in a number of free events during championship week that includes Tourney Town™ presented by Capital One® at the Indiana Convention Center, Women’s Final Four Bounce fueled by POWERADE, Super Saturday activities and POWERADE NCAA Youth Clinics. Registration fees apply for the 4Kay 5K Run/Walk, Beyond the Baseline: Advancing Women Summit and Women’s Final Four 3v3 Tournament and AlumNation programming.
In addition to the ancillary events, the NCAA Community Outreach 101 program has already touched Indianapolis and will be making further inroads in the coming weeks. NCAA Community 101 teaches youth about social responsibility through service learning.
With the combined Community 101 programming, including the POWERADE NCAA Youth Clinics, it is estimated that the 2016 Women’s Final Four will touch the lives of over 9,000 Indianapolis youth.
To date, over 700 local volunteers have registered to work the many ancillary events and other important areas associated with the Women’s Final Four. These volunteers will cover over 3,000 shifts and include over 10,800 hours of service.
“We can’t wait for the 2016 championship games in Indianapolis,” said Anucha Browne, NCAA vice president, women’s basketball championships. “The 2016 Women’s Final Four is about the five championship games that will be played here as well as serving as a great opportunity for the people of Indianapolis to enjoy the games and ancillary events that are being held in their backyard. Get involved, buy your tickets, sign-up and register today. I guarantee that those who join in on the activities and attend the games will consider it time well spent.”
Here’s a look at the different events that will be part of championship week. Note that full event details are available at NCAA.com/WomensFinalFour.
Game Day Information (All Times EST)
Sunday, April 3: Division I National Semifinals at 6 and 8:30 p.m.
Monday, April 4: Division II National Championship Game, 3 p.m.
Division III National Championship Game, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5: Division I National Championship Game, 8:30 p.m.
Tickets for all games are now on sale at NCAA.com/WBBTickets.
Tourney Town™ presented by Capital One®
When: Friday, April 1 – Sunday, April 3
Times: April 1: 4 – 10:30 p.m.
April 2: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
April 3: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: Free for fans of all ages
Tourney Town presented by Capital One is a fan fest within a festival; jam packed with youth clinics, 3-on-3 tournaments, giveaways, concerts, interactive games, special appearances, autograph signings and much more.
A highlight of the three-day festival will be a free concert performed by national recording act - Salt-N-Pepa on Friday, April 1. The American Hip-Hop trio from Queens, New York has been entertaining fans since 1985 and will take the stage in Tourney Town at 9 p.m. following a fashion show that takes to the runway at 8 p.m.
Beyond the Baseline: Advancing Women Summit
When: Friday, April 1 – Tuesday, April 5 | Times Vary
Where: Locations Vary
Admission: Most events are free, pre-registration is required
Beyond the Baseline culminates Women’s Final Four weekend in Indianapolis with the Advancing Women Summit. Individuals are invited to participate in one of the many scheduled professional development and networking events.
POWERADE NCAA Youth Clinics
When: Saturday, April 2 – Sunday, April 3 | Times Vary
Where: Saturday, April 2, clinics will be conducted at Pike High School and Arsenal Tech High School. On Sunday, April 3 a youth clinic will take place at Tourney Town in the Indiana Convention Center.
Admission: Free for children in grades 3 – 8, with online pre-registration required
POWERADE NCAA Youth Clinics include conditioning and life skills from NCAA coaches and student-athletes. Each participant will receive a free t-shirt and other promotional items.
Women’s Final Four Bounce fueled by POWERADE
When: Saturday, April 2 | 1:30 p.m.
Where: Course begins at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and ends at Tourney Town
Admission: Free for kids aged 18 and under, online pre-registration is required
The NCAA Bounce fueled by POWERADE is for kids 18 and under who are invited to participate in this unique and free event, joining thousands of fans dribbling their way down Georgia Street. The first 2,000 participants will receive a free basketball and t-shirt.
4Kay 5K Run/Walk
When: Saturday, April 2 | 8 a.m.
Where: Course begins at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Admission: $30 in advance, $35 day of registration with proceeds benefiting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund®
This 5K run/walk is held in honor of the late North Carolina State University and Olympic women’s basketball coach Kay Yow. Proceeds from the 4Kay Run will benefit cancer research through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. The first 800 registered participants will receive a 4Kay race shirt.
Super Saturday
When: Saturday, April 2 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Admission: Free for fans of all ages
Get up close and personal to the Women’s Final Four action during Super Saturday. This free event includes team open practices, team autograph sessions presented by AT&T, the WBCA Coaches All-America Team announcement and much more.
Women’s Final Four 3v3 Tournament and AlumNation
When: 3v3 Tournament - Sunday, April 3 | AlumNation – Throughout Weekend
Where: Tourney Town
Admission: $35 per team entry fee, $10 per individual entry fee for 3v3 tournament
The inaugural Women’s Final Four 3v3 Tournament has been created to bring former women’s basketball players together to celebrate the competitive and camaraderie spirit of the weekend. If you’d like to reconnect with former teammates, compete for bragging rights, or even get your workout in for the day, this event is for you!
AlumNation is a special ticket package for former women’s basketball student-athletes that will include tickets to the games, commemorative swag bag, invites to exclusive pregame parties and more.
About the NCAA and NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 450,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.NCAA.org and www.NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.
The first- and second rounds of the 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship will be played March 18-21 on the home courts of the top 16 seeds. Regional action will take place March 25-28, with Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena) and Sioux Falls, S.D. (Denny Sanford Premier Center) hosting on March 25 and 27, while Bridgeport, Conn. (Webster Bank Arena) and Dallas, Texas (American Airlines Center) will host regional games on March 26 and 28. The 2016 Women’s Final Four will be held April 3 and 5 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
