Duquesne, PPG Paints Arena chosen to serve as hosts of 2024 NCAA Tournament
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Duquesne is getting accustomed to sitting in the NCAA Basketball Tournament spotlight.
The NCAA chose Duquesne on Wednesday to host the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship first- and second-round games. The event will mark the seventh time since 1997 Duquesne has hosted tournament games, including the previously announced 2022 first and second rounds.
The games in 2022 and ‘24 will be played at PPG Paints Arena for the fourth and fifth times. The 1997 and ‘02 games were played at Civic Arena.
The NCAA’s announcement was made as part of the unveiling of championship sites for the cycle from the 2022-23 through 2025-26 academic years.
Duquesne and SportsPITTSBURGH also were selected to serve as hosts for the NCAA Women’s Bowling regionals in ‘23, ‘24, ‘25 and ‘26 at AMF Lanes in Mt. Lebanon.
“Duquesne Athletics is proud and honored to once again serve as a host for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship,” Duquesne director of athletics Dave Harper said. “This would not be possible without the strong partnership between Visit and SportsPITTSBURGH and PPG Paints Arena. We are truly blessed to work with all the entities involved.
“This is a testament to our team and partners who have an unwavering sense of excellence and commitment to delivering the best championship experience possible for the student-athletes, coaches, and fans that will come to Pittsburgh for March Madness.”
Duquesne’s first experience with the NCAA Tournament in 1997 was highlighted by the first upset of a No. 2 seed by a No. 15 seed when Coppin State defeated South Carolina, 78-65, in front of a sellout crowd at Civic Arena.
Pitt and UCLA advanced to the Sweet 16 from the 2002 first- and second-round games at the renamed Mellon Arena.
In 2012, the games attracted 56,928 people for three tournament sessions (six games) at PPG Paints Arena, then known as Consol Energy Center. The opening day second session crowd of 19,413 was the largest for any indoor arena event in Pittsburgh history.
Plus, Duquesne’s new UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, which is under construction at the site of the former A.J. Palumbo Center, will serve as the venue for the 2022 Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship (hosted by Saint Vincent), the ‘25 Division II Women’s Basketball Elite Eight and inaugural Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Festival in ‘26 (both hosted by Clarion).
Clarion will also serve as host for the 2023 Division II volleyball championships at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center.
Clarion recently hosted the 2018 NCAA Division II Fall Festival for national championships for women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer.
“We are honored and thrilled with the NCAA’s decision to name Clarion a host institution for these prestigious championship events,” Clarion Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Wendy Snodgrass said in a release. “It is representative of the hard work and commitment from everyone in our athletics department and across campus, and gives us the opportunity to showcase our institution on a national stage.”
In addition, the NCAA announced Pitt will serve as host for the 2023 women’s gymnastics regionals at Petersen Events Center. The 2026 women’s ice hockey semifinals and finals will be at Penn State’s Pegula Ice Arena.
Penn State will also host the 2023 men’s gymnastics championships, the 2025 men’s and women’s fencing championships and the 2025 women’s gymnastics regionals. West Virginia will host the 2025 rifle championships.
The NCAA Division I wrestling tournament is also returning to relatively nearby venues. The University of Pennsylvania will play host in Philadelphia in 2025 and the Mid-American Conference will bring wrestling back to Cleveland in 2026.
Lock Haven will be the host site for 2025 Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Regional, while Mercyhurst has the Division II Women’s Bowling Championships in 2021 and 2022.
Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email at jdipaola@triblive.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib. Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul by email at pschofield@triblive.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.