NCAA Site Selection Announcement is this Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m.
Webcast will be available at this link.
INDIANAPOLIS – The NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center has been named as one of six finalists to host at least one Women's Division II Championship during the 2014-18 basketball postseasons, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday, Oct. 31.
An original pool of 1,948 bids for championships in Divisions I, II and III, and on the National Collegiate level, was pared down to 213 hosting opportunities on Thursday. The finalists, for 81 of the NCAA's 89 championships, are spread across 150 cities overall, including 22 in the state of Florida.
Specifically, the Women's DII Championship, or the Elite Eight, has been narrowed down to five venues besides NSU: the Banker's Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky., the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn., Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Alumni Hall in Columbus, Ohio. Each city was able to bid for one or more years of the same championship for the five-year span.
The NSU Arena, built in 2006, seats up to 4,500 spectators and hosts all home contests for Sharks volleyball and men's and women's basketball. It is housed within the Don Taft University Center, a 366,000 square foot multi-use facility located in the center of the main NSU campus in Fort Lauderdale.
"Nova Southeastern University and the Don Taft University Center are excited to be named a finalist with the other first-class NCAA Division II institutions and facilities from around the country," said Director of Athletics Michael Mominey. "In conjunction with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, we look forward to the potential of bringing a NCAA Division II women's basketball championship to South Florida."
The women's DII championship features eight regional champions from across the U.S. competing in seven games, starting with the national quarterfinal round, with four teams advancing to the semifinals and then two playing for the national title.
The NSU women's basketball team hosted last year's NCAA Division II South Regional at the NSU Arena. The Sharks won all three games on their home court and earned their first-ever berth to the Elite Eight, which was held at the Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio. This year, the women's DII championship will be played at the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pa., with the dates set for March 25, 26 and 28, 2014.
Thursday's six finalists were chosen by the basketball sport committee, made up of coaches and administrators from NCAA schools and conferences. The winning venues will be announced on a webcast on NCAA.com on Dec. 11.
To view all of the finalists for the 81 championships, visit
this link.
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