Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod has announced the renewal of the 2020 and 2021 Conference USA Men's & Women's Basketball Championships at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, as voted on by the league’s Athletics Directors and Presidents/Chancellors. The University of North Texas, the Dallas Cowboys and Visit Frisco will continue to serve as co-hosts for the events.
"We are thrilled to return to Frisco," MacLeod said. “Last year’s event was very successful, and we made it a priority to build on that foundation and continue our relationship with the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones, Jr. and his team have been outstanding throughout the entire process."
The 2019 Air Force Reserve Conference USA Basketball Championships presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star will tip on Wednesday, March 13, at 11 a.m. CT. A completely unique college basketball event, 24 C-USA teams will contend for the men’s and women’s automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament on two courts, simultaneously.
“With such an incredible tournament last year, we are beyond thrilled to continue our relationship with Conference USA for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships this year and beyond,” said Dallas Cowboys Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Jerry Jones, Jr. “Ford Center proved to be a unique and incredible basketball environment for all the teams and their fans last year, and we can’t wait to provide that experience again this year and years to come.”
The 2018 event produced an economic impact of $4 million in Frisco and the surrounding community.
“We are excited to have the Conference USA Men's and Women's Basketball Championships return to Ford Center at The Star in Frisco in 2020 and 2021,” said Josh Dill, Director of Sports and Events for Visit Frisco. “This unique event is a perfect fit for this world-class and innovative facility. We are proud to partner with Conference USA to offer such a superior student-athlete and fan experience.”
Competitively, C-USA men’s basketball has achieved remarkable success in recent years. The conference’s automatic qualifier has advanced in the NCAA Tournament field each of the past four postseasons with last year’s champion, Marshall, defeating Wichita State in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
On the women’s side, No. 24 Rice became just the third program in C-USA women’s basketball history to post a perfect 16-0 league campaign. The Owls claimed the 2018-19 C-USA Regular-Season Championship on Feb. 23, along with the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the 2019 Air Force Reserve Conference USA Women’s Basketball Championship Presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at the Star. The Owls are the first squad to go undefeated in C-USA play since the 2010-11 Houston Cougars.
About The Star: The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco and Frisco ISD, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; and Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; The Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit http://www.TheStarInFrisco.com.
About Visit Frisco: Founded in 2003, Visit Frisco has grown in tandem with the extensive growth of leisure travel, sports, and meeting facilities within the city. It’s the organization’s mission to generate a positive awareness of Frisco as a premiere destination for meetings, sporting events, conventions, trade shows, leisure travel, and to positively impact the economic base of the City of Frisco. Official accreditation recognizing excellence and achievement was awarded in 2009 by the industry organization Destination’s International. For more information, head to visitfrisco.com or call 877-GO-FRISCO.
About Conference USA: Conference USA is an NCAA Division I athletic conference based in Dallas, Texas, that services 14 institutions of higher education – Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, UTSA and WKU. Now in its third decade, Conference USA has adapted to the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics with an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity and leadership in competition, academics and community.
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