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March Madness Returns to Greenville in 2017

|Furman will serve as co-host of the tournament.

Last updated October 3, 2016

By News administrator

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament is set to return to Greenville, South Carolina, in March of 2017, the NCAA announced today.

Furman University and the Southern Conference will serve as co-hosts of NCAA Tournament First/Second Round games, scheduled for March 17 & 19, 2017, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Greenville.

Furman will serve as co-host of the tournament.

Furman will serve as co-host of the tournament.

“We are thrilled the NCAA has entrusted us to host one of its most celebrated championships and look forward to welcoming the student-athletes, coaches, and fans of competing schools to our home next March,” said Furman Director of Athletics Mike Buddie. “It’s great to be back in the business of hosting NCAA Championships in our community and state, and we are dedicated along with our Main Street Area, Bon Secours Wellness Arena, and VisitGreenvilleSC partners to provide an unparalleled, first-rate championship experience.”

Furman, the Southern Conference, and Greenville last served as host of NCAA Basketball Tournament First/Second Round action in 2002 when Duke, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Kent State, Notre Dame, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, and Winthrop comprised the eight-team field for six South Region Tournament contests at the BI-LO Center (now Bon Secours Wellness Arena).

“Both the Southern Conference and Furman University are honored to co-host the NCAA Tournament,” said Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino. “We’re proud to have the NCAA place their trust and confidence in us and look forward to working with the leaders in Greenville and the Upstate of South Carolina to make this a great event.”

“Our community as a whole, but especially the business community, has been tremendously supportive and encouraging of our efforts to host NCAA events since the ban was lifted last year,” says Beth Paul, General Manager at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena General. “This announcement is another example of how Greenville continues to move in a forward direction. We are honored to host such a prestigious tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena and will continue to uphold values of respect and inclusion for all guests and student athletes.”

“We’re excited to welcome thousands of basketball fans this March to Greenville, South Carolina!,” said Chris Stone, President of VisitGreenvilleSC.  “Fans and student-athletes are in for a treat as Greenville boasts a new standard of “Wow!”  As eager as we are to show off our destination, we’re even more honored to represent the State of South Carolina, known world-wide for its special blend of Southern Hospitality.”

The NCAA announced in September the relocation of several neutral site championships from North Carolina, including 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament First/Second Round games originally scheduled for Greensboro, N.C.

Said Furman men’s head basketball coach Niko Medved: “This is exciting news for the Greenville community, Furman University, and for all sports fans around the Upstate.  The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is one of the premier sporting events in the world, and it will be great for so many people to see first-hand all that our community has to offer.”

The 2017 NCAA Tournament Selection Show announcing the 68-team tournament field is scheduled for Sunday, March 12 and will be streamed live on NCAA.com and broadcast nationally.  Sign-up for ticket presale for all 2017 NCAA Preliminary Round games, scheduled for Nov. 1-3, is available through NCAA.com.

Furman University
Furman is a private, undergraduate liberal arts university of 2,700 students in Greenville, S.C.  The university is noted for its rigorous academic program and strong faculty, and its 750-acre campus is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful in the nation.  The university recently unveiled “The Furman Advantage,” a strategic vision that combines a liberal arts and sciences education with immersive experiences outside the classroom, creating a personalized pathway that prepares students for lives of purpose, successful careers, and community benefit.  Furman also boasts a 20-sport NCAA Division I athletics program and has been a member of the Southern Conference since 1936.

The Southern Conference
The Southern Conference, in its 96th season of intercollegiate competition, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and helping build lifelong leaders and role models. The conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issues of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing women’s championships (1984), to becoming the first conference to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer. The Southern Conference, the nation’s fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association, currently consists of 10 members in six states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 20 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Located in Greenville, S.C., the Bon Secours Wellness Arena is a 15,000-seat sports and entertainment arena that hosts live events including family shows, sporting events, concerts, minor league hockey, seminars, and conventions. Club seats, party suites, and luxury suites with premium services concierge are available in the arena. The Bon Secours Wellness Arena is managed by the Greenville Arena District.

VisitGreenvilleSC
VisitGreenvilleSC is a non-profit, economic development organization that is responsible for promoting the greater Greenville area as an attractive destination for meetings, conventions, tradeshows, sporting events, and leisure travelers. As the official sales and marketing organization of the City and County of Greenville, the goal of VisitGreenvilleSC is to increase visitor-generated revenue from local, regional, and national markets, thereby strengthening Greenville’s economy.

Greenville
Nestled into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville, South Carolina, has combined traditional southern charm, stunning natural beauty, and an unexpected contemporary cool to create one of America’s hottest emerging destinations and fastest growing cities. From a revitalized downtown ranked among “America’s Ten Best” by Forbes Magazine, to downtown Greenville’s one-of-a-kind Liberty Bridge, quaint shops, boutiques, and fabulous restaurants, to a world-class collection of museums, galleries, and theaters, to some of the most beautiful lakes, rivers, and mountains in the world, Greenville, South Carolina is everything they say it is and more. Check us out, and see for yourself why we’re not just any Greenville – we’re THAT Greenville.

Hunter Reid, Furman Sports Information

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