FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University women's
basketball team will host Drexel University in the first round of the
Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) on Thursday, March 15 in
Alumni Hall. The time of the game will be announced by WNIT officials on
Tuesday, March 13.
Fairfield (24-8) will be making its second-ever WNIT appearance and its first in more than a decade. The Stags secured an automatic berth to the WNIT after finishing as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) runner-up. Fairfield fell to top-seeded Marist in the MAAC Championship Final on March 5.
Fairfield's last WNIT appearance came during the 1999-2000 after winning a MAAC Regular Season crown, but falling in the MAAC Championship Final. During that WNIT appearance, the Stags travelled to the University of Wisconsin.
Drexel, which is making its third consecutive WNIT appearance, went 18-13 overall this season and 12-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Dragons advanced to the CAA Championship final where they fell to No.7/8 University of Delaware. Thursday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Drexel and Fairfield.
The Postseason WNIT features a 64-team field. The tournament offers automatic berths to 31 teams - one per conference - and then selects 33 at-large teams. The Pac-12, Colonial, and Atlantic-10 led all conferences with five teams represented in this year's field. The Big East, Big West, Mid-American, and Missouri Valley each added four. Other conferences represented in the field include: Atlantic Coast (3), Southern (3), Summit (3), America East (2), Big 12 (2), Conference USA (2), Sun Belt (2), West Coast (2), Atlantic Sun (1), Big Sky (1), Big South (1), Horizon (1), Ivy (1), MAAC (1), MEAC (1), Mountain West (1), Northeast (1), Ohio Valley (1), Patriot (1), Southland (1), SWAC (1), and WAC (1).
First round action tips off on Wednesday, March 14 and concludes on Friday, March 16. Second round games begin March 17-19, Round Three March 21-23, Quarterfinals March 24-26, and Semifinals March 28-29. The Championship Final will be played on Saturday, March 31. All games, including the final, are hosted by participating schools. The championship game and one semifinal game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.
Fairfield (24-8) will be making its second-ever WNIT appearance and its first in more than a decade. The Stags secured an automatic berth to the WNIT after finishing as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) runner-up. Fairfield fell to top-seeded Marist in the MAAC Championship Final on March 5.
Fairfield's last WNIT appearance came during the 1999-2000 after winning a MAAC Regular Season crown, but falling in the MAAC Championship Final. During that WNIT appearance, the Stags travelled to the University of Wisconsin.
Drexel, which is making its third consecutive WNIT appearance, went 18-13 overall this season and 12-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Dragons advanced to the CAA Championship final where they fell to No.7/8 University of Delaware. Thursday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Drexel and Fairfield.
The Postseason WNIT features a 64-team field. The tournament offers automatic berths to 31 teams - one per conference - and then selects 33 at-large teams. The Pac-12, Colonial, and Atlantic-10 led all conferences with five teams represented in this year's field. The Big East, Big West, Mid-American, and Missouri Valley each added four. Other conferences represented in the field include: Atlantic Coast (3), Southern (3), Summit (3), America East (2), Big 12 (2), Conference USA (2), Sun Belt (2), West Coast (2), Atlantic Sun (1), Big Sky (1), Big South (1), Horizon (1), Ivy (1), MAAC (1), MEAC (1), Mountain West (1), Northeast (1), Ohio Valley (1), Patriot (1), Southland (1), SWAC (1), and WAC (1).
First round action tips off on Wednesday, March 14 and concludes on Friday, March 16. Second round games begin March 17-19, Round Three March 21-23, Quarterfinals March 24-26, and Semifinals March 28-29. The Championship Final will be played on Saturday, March 31. All games, including the final, are hosted by participating schools. The championship game and one semifinal game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.
