March 20, 2006

College Park, Md - The University of Maryland sponsors 27 varsity sports featuring 700 student-athletes. Maryland Athletics bids to host postseason competitions on its College Park campus whenever possible and requested by its head coaches to provide a home field advantage for its teams, whether NCAA, ACC, NIT, WNIT or other postseason opportunities.

In the case of each sport, without exception, the Director of Championships includes the coaching staff and/or senior staff of the respective sport in all planning meetings for postseason competitions. The coaching staff and/or senior staff is present to speak regarding the wishes of the head coach and also relays to the large planning group the preferred hosting dates of the coach. Subsequently, required paperwork is submitted to the respective postseason governing body to secure the requested home field advantage for the games. The planning group then works to finalize event staffing and security, ticket pricing and operations, food and novelty concessions, game day parking and transportation for teams and fans, game officials, media requests and other logistical considerations surrounding such events.

To date, during the 2005-06 academic year, Maryland has hosted ACC Field Hockey Championships, NCAA Field Hockey Championships, NCAA Men's Soccer Championships, ACC Men's Swimming Championships, ACC Women's Swimming Championships, and NIT Men's Basketball Championships. This spring, Maryland is currently scheduled to host ACC Men's Lacrosse Championships (at M&T Bank Stadium) and ACC Women's Lacrosse Championships (at M&T Bank Stadium).