Colleges

Tampa organizers watch, learn

By GREG AUMAN
Published April 5, 2006

BOSTON - Two years from now, the center of the women's basketball world will be Tampa, and the organizers of that tournament have closely watched this year's event, taking down notes as pointers for the 2008 Final Four.

"The trip has been wonderful, because we've learned a great deal," said USF associate athletic director Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy , part of the Tampa host contingent. "We're just now beginning to work on completing a budget and fundraising, but this has been a great experience."

The logistics of coordinating a major event like the women's Final Four, which drew sellout crowds of more than 18,000 fans to the TD Banknorth Garden, can be daunting. Organizers must find close to 1,000 volunteers, arrange hotel accommodations for teams, local headquarters for the NCAA, and venues for host events, such as the Boston committee's Saturday night VIP party at Fenway Park.

USF served as host school when the men's Final Four was in Tampa in 1999, and the St. Pete Times Forum will host first- and second-round games for the men's tournament in 2008, giving "a great dry run" for game management at the arena.

The Tampa contingent also included Rob Higgins , executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, who has a busy week, going from Boston to Milwaukee, where the NCAA's men's hockey championships begin Thursday. Tampa hosts the Frozen Four in 2012.

GOING PRO: For the first time, the WNBA draft will coincide with the Final Four, taking place today in Boston. Former Wharton and Temple star Candice Dupree , a 6-foot-2 forward, is expected to be a first-round pick, most likely headed fifth to the Los Angeles Sparks or sixth to the Chicago Sky. LSU's Seimone Augustus is likely the first overall pick, with Duke's Monique Currie also expected to go in the top five.

LOCAL VOICE: Serving as public-address announcer for the sixth year in a row is Agnes Green , an anesthesiologist who moved from Atlanta to Belleair last year. Green started announcing games in 1995 before crowds of 50 or so at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta and hopes to work with a local college team next season. Her key at the mike? "Stay focused, block the crowd and any preference you might have out, and just get in the flow of the game."

THIS AND THAT: Duke and Maryland often go head-to-head in recruiting, but some of Maryland's closest recruiting competition has been Florida and coach Carolyn Peck . Terrapins sophomore Crystal Langhorne and freshman Marissa Coleman had the Gators in their final three, but they opted to stay in the Northeast. ... Move over, Oprah : Duke coach Gail Goestenkors and guard Jessica Foley have their own book club, posting reviews and recommendations at Goduke.com. ... Duke entered the game tied with Tennessee for most wins in the NCAA Tournament over the past seven years, 31. Seniors Mistie Williams and Jessica Foley are the winningest players in Blue Devils history with 127 wins entering Tuesday. ... The sellout crowd of 18,642 was the eighth-largest in the 25-year history of the women's Final Four. Next year's event is in Cleveland. ... Massachusetts native Jo Dee Messina sang the national anthem.

[Last modified April 5, 2006, 06:14:09]