INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The University of New Mexico was selected to host four NCAA postseason events, including the 2020 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, as the NCAA announced several future postseason sites. UNM was also selected to host the 2020 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Regional, the 2021 Division I Men’s Golf Regional and the 2022 Division I Women’s Golf Regional.
However, UNM’s WisePies Arena was not selected as one of the host sights for the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, announced today. The NCAA announced 48 First and Second Round sites and Regional sites for the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 tournaments.
The Lobos and UNM hosted 2014 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center, making the 2020 championships a second time hosting for New Mexico. Hosting the Division I Cross Country Regionals in 2020 will be the sixth time UNM has been selected, having hosted in 2002, 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2015.
UNM hosted the 2016 Division I Men’s Golf Regional at The Championship Course at UNM, and the 2017 Division I Women’s Golf Regionals are slated to be at The Championship Course May 8-10 of this year. The Championship Course has also hosted the Men’s NCAA Division I Championships in 1976, 1992 and 1998, and the Women’s NCAA Division I Championships in 1987 and 2008.
“We are very proud to be selected to host four premier NCAA Championship events,” said Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs. “It’s a testament to our staff and our community that has hosted these events before and have provided a tremendous championship experience for the student-athletes that visit. These championships bring dollars and economic value into our community, and we are excited to host the best of the NCAA.”
However, on not being awarded a site for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, Krebs states, “That said, we are extremely disappointed that the NCAA did not select WisePies Arena as a host site for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Our bid was extremely competitive, and it was the result of a lot of hard work and long hours by not just our staff, but the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Mayor’s Office, and many of our corporate partners.”
Krebs added, “More and more new buildings are opening and bidding on the tournament, and they have been built with the required floor space. While our renovation that was completed in 2010 addressed many things relating to the NCAA Tournament, the decision to install custom courts has really hampered our ability to host the tournaments. The concrete surrounding the playing floor limits the required space needed, and while that closeness of the fans to the court is what gives us a great home court advantage, it does not meet the needs of the NCAA.”
Mike Haggerty, Assistant Athletic Director for Events at UNM, said, “In the previous cycle of bids, we were told by the NCAA that while there were certain factors that needed to be addressed, the main reason we weren’t selected was due to the number of competitive bids and the volume of bidders. This is the first time we have been given specific feedback regarding the lack of available space surrounding the playing surface as to the reason why we weren’t selected.”
UNM last hosted the Men’s NCAA Tournament’s First and Second Rounds (actually called the Second and Third Rounds at the time) in 2012. UNM bid for the First and Second Rounds in 2014 but did not receive a bid.
Feedback from the NCAA’s bid centered on installing and retro-fitting the NCAA provided courts. The NCAA starting the practice of installing NCAA branded courts in 2010, and for 2011 all rounds of the tournament featured identical NCAA branded courts.
Some of the issues addressed by the NCAA regarding the basketball tournament were as follows:
*The NCAA court would need to be specially cut in all four corners to fit the space available due to the concrete staircases that extend into the court area.
*NCAA courts need a minimum measurement of 122-feet end to end for the placing of the basketball stanchions. Due to the concrete ends of the arena, the maximum space available is 117 feet. NCAA specs also call for 17-feet from the baseline to the first row of seating behind the goals. The concrete baseline seating prohibits this distance from being a possibility.
*The NCAA prohibits double-stacking the team benches, meaning all 18 seats must go in a single row. That puts one team bench into the ramp and on an incline. There also is not the required mandated walking areas behind the scorer’s table, again, due to the permanent seating located around the court.
*Due to the concrete end seating, the required 3-foot safety runoff for the players on each side of the stanchion would have been compromised to fit photographers, cheer squads and other personnel during the game.
*Special cuts in the court would be needed to fit the scorer’s table. Also, due to the four electrical panels on each sideline running near the court, special cuts in the court are required.
UNM to Host 2020 NCAA Indoor Track Championships
