MTU ready to host NCAA women’s hoops tournament

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team thumped the competition this season, going undefeated at home.

And now, as the number one seed, Tech will be hosting the NCAA Division II women’s basketball Midwest Regional at the Wood Gym this weekend. But before the first tip-off, the university must get ready for the tournament.

MTU Athletic Director Suzanne Sanregret says, “The NCAA is very involved with all of the rules and regulations that we need to follow—a lot of very detailed specifications, so we have a huge staff of people here working on it right from where the signage, to where the teams are staying, the hotels. It’s a great community event and a lot of people on my staff are involved to make that happen.”

With seven teams coming into town, each needing about 15 hotels rooms — plus referees and other NCAA officials — local businesses benefit from the tournament.

Sanregret says, “There’s several rooms and hotels that are going to be taken and filled and our hotels, I think, are just about at capacity. All those seven institutions need to eat a lot of meals in town so I know our restaurants and our corporate sponsors are going to be really busy with them.”

Many students will be missing the games this weekend due to spring break, but they will all be back in time to celebrate if the ladies make it to the regional championship game on Monday.