The ESPN Networks 2009-10 NCAA Women's Basketball Schedule Includes Approximately 250 Games; The Most Ever in ESPN History
Thursday, October 22, 2009 -
For the 2009-10 season, ESPN Networks will feature more of your favorite women’s college basketball matchups than ever before, ESPN announced Wednesday. Highlighted by coverage of the entire NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, this year you have more opportunities to see the best women's college basketball programs. The 250 scheduled telecasts on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN360.com will be the most in the history of the network.
Highlights of the schedule include:
- The State Farm Tip-Off between Baylor and Tennessee kicks off the network's coverage of the season on November 15, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
- ESPNU’s Road to the Championship doubleheader created by ESPN Regional Television (ERT) will be played at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, home of the 2010 Women’s Final Four on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively. National powers Connecticut, Tennessee, Texas and Texas Tech will take part in the doubleheader televised by ESPNU and ESPN2.
- ESPN2’s Big Monday will showcase the best programs in women’s college basketball every Monday night, kicking off on January 11 at 7:30 p.m. with an ACC match-up between Maryland and Virginia. This year, ESPN will air 11 games, compared to 8 last season. Also new to this year's schedule is the addition of Big Monday doubleheaders on February 8, February 15, and February 22.
- The fourth annual Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic will feature Florida against Rutgers at Rutgers Stadium, airing on December 7 at 7 p.m on ESPN2.
- ESPN’s weekly College Gameday, kicking off on Saturday, January 16 in Storrs, Connecticut, will feature a Big East showdown between Notre Dame and defending national champion Connecticut. This will be the first time the show has originated from a women’s game. Two one-hour segments will air at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and the game will air at 9 p.m. on ESPN.
- February Frenzy will return on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14 with six regionalized games within two telecast windows. During the “Frenzy,” ESPN will support the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation. Also part of the “Frenzy” are the ESPNU match-up between Kentucky at Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. on Feb. 14 and the Big Monday doubleheader on Feb. 15 showcasing North Carolina at Virginia at 7 p.m. and Connecticut at Oklahoma at 9 p.m.
- During the women’s Championship Week, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com will present 13 women’s conference championships, including every game from the quarterfinals through the championship for the BIG EAST, plus the SEC Semifinals and SEC Championship.
- Overall, the ESPN networks will air more than 130 regular-season games, over 40 conference tournament matchups, the Division II Women’s Basketball Semifinals and Championship, and all 63 NCAA Division I Championship contests.
- ESPNU will televise 54 games, including 37 regular-season contests (up from 31), 17 conference championship matchups and the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Semifinals.
- ESPN360.com will simulcast every game on ESPN and ESPN2 and will offer complete telecasts of every NCAA Women’s Tournament game.