Tuesday, March 15, 2011

MACON, Ga. - FGCU, the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Champions, earned a bid to the Women's NIT on Monday night, while USC Upstate received a WBI bid with the Eagles hosting the first round. FGCU welcomes Drexel to Alico Arena on Friday, March 18th at 7:30 p.m., while USC Upstate travels to Elon for their first-round game on Thursday, March 17th at 7 p.m.

The Eagles finished the regular season with a 27-3 record and 17-3 in league play, while bolting off to a 14-0 start, which made them the second-to-last undefeated team in the nation. The Spartans finished with a 17-12 record and 13-7 in A-Sun games behind the efforts of A-Sun Player of the Year, Chelsea McMillan, and Second Team All-Conference member, Tee'Ara Copney. The Eagles are led by Shannon Murphy and Sarah Hansen, both all-conference honorees.

FGCU under the leadership of head coach Karl Smesko earn their fourth-consecutive WNIT bid after previously capturing first-round victories in 2008 and 2009. The Spartans women's basketball team is the first Upstate team to earn a national postseason tournament berth since moving to NCAA Division I in 2007-08.

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