Local boys and girls basketball teams who advance to the WIAA State Tournament will continue play on the UW-Madison campus.
UW-Madison Athletic Director Pat Richter and WIAA Executive Director Doug Chickering announced an agreement last week at a press conference in Stevens Point.
Under the "shared access" plan, both the WIAA Boys and Girls State Basketball Championships and post-season action for the university in the WCHA and NCAA for the men's and women's basketball teams and men's hockey teams will be held on campus.
"We feel short term, this is a good resolution," Richter said. "In the outgoing years, it looks like it will take care of itself."
Next March, the boys tournament and the first round of the WCHA playoffs will be held at the Kohl Center. The girls tournament and UW women's basketball team's post-season NCAA play will take place at the UW-Field House.
In March of 2001, the first round of the WCHA playoffs will be at the Dane County Coliseum and the boys state tourney will be at the UW-Field House if there is a conflict with NCAA hosting opportunities for the Badger women's basketball team. In that case, the UW women's NCAA post-season play and the WIAA Girls State Basketball Tournament will be held at the Kohl Center.
"The opening of the Kohl Center two years ago," Chickering said, "provided a tremendous opportunity for the high school athletes in the state of Wisconsin.
"Last year saw us have to move one of our tournaments to an alternate site and move our wrestling tournament ahead a day.
"I look forward very much to the spring of 2000 when we will have much more structure associated with our tournaments."
Potential changes may minimize future scheduling conflicts, Richter said. In three years, the WCHA first round playoffs may move a week earlier, eliminating the conflict with the WIAA Girls State Tournament. Richter said the NCAA might use predetermined sites for the first and second round women's basketball tournament play, which would also reduce conflicts.