June 21, 2000

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Navy will host the 2001 Patriot League Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament, March 2-4, Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich announced today. The decision is the first step in a plan to move the tournament to a neutral site in the greater Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area.

"We are pleased that Jack Lengyel and his staff at the Naval Academy have agreed to work with us in hosting the 2001 tournament," Femovich said. "The event has enjoyed previous success in Annapolis and we are confident this tournament will thrive as well. In the meantime, we will continue to explore neutral sites in the Washington metropolitan area for future tournaments."

In its current format, the 10-game tournament includes the menís and womenís quaterfinals and semifinals. The championship games are played on the campus of the highest remaining seed. Tentative dates for the finals are March 7 for the women and March 9 for the men. The tournament format will be modified in 2002 when American University becomes the eighth Patriot League member.