Women's Basketball Repeats as 'Pack the House' Challenge Champs

2011-12 'Pack the House' Winners

PHILADELPHIA - For the second straight year, the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team topped the Ivy League and was one of 33 winners in the NCAA Division I "Pack the House" Challenge. There is one winner from each conference and the Quakers claimed the Ivy League title with one of their highest single-game attendance marks of the season.

The NCAA will donate $500 to the nonprofit organization of each winning institution's choice. Penn placed its donation toward the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the fight against Parkinson's Disease.

'Pack the House' winners were selected based on marketing plan, creativity and attendance criteria. 'Pack the House' is a national effort in which conferences and institutions compete to build attendance. NCAA Division I women's basketball marketing staffs selected a home game and designated that date as a 'Pack the House' game with the goal of setting an attendance record. Penn selected the Feb. 25 matchup with Harvard.

A total of 154 Division I institutions participated in the effort that attracted more than 430,000 fans. Sixty-four programs surpassed their single-game attendance highs from last year. Penn hosted 1,112 fans for the 'Pack the House' challenge, which was the second highest total of the season and the third time the Quakers surpassed the 1,000 mark this season.

"In the fifth year of this initiative, we are pleased to see the continued increase in attendance, excitement and exposure for our women's basketball programs," said Greg Christopher, chair of the Division I Women's Basketball Committee and director of athletics at Bowling Green State University. "The year-in and year-out success of 'Pack the House' is a direct tribute to the commitment level put forth by the personnel at each campus. These efforts continue to help grow the game."

Last season, Penn claimed the Ivy League's 'Pack the House' Challenge championship for the first time. The Quakers hosted a season-best 707 fans against Columbia on Feb. 12, which at the time was the most since the 2009 season finale.

Winners of the 2011-12 NCAA "Pack the House" Challenge are:

CONFERENCE WINNERS

America East - Vermont

Atlantic Coast - Virginia

Atlantic Sun - Florida Gulf Coast

Atlantic 10 - Massachusetts

Big East - Marquette

Big Sky -Sacramento State

Big South - Winthrop

Big Ten - Iowa

Big 12 - Kansas State

Big West - Long Beach State