Oct. 20, 2006
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Single-game tickets for the 2006-07 Notre Dame women’s basketball season will go on sale to the general public Monday, Oct. 23, the Notre Dame Athletics Ticket Office announced Friday. Game tickets will be available at a cost of $8 for adults and $5 for youths (21-and-under) or seniors (55-and-older), while Notre Dame/Saint Mary’s/Holy Cross students are admitted free with their student ID. Season tickets currently are being sold for Notre Dame’s 18-game home schedule (16 regular season games, two exhibitions) at a cost of $58 each for adults (less than $4 per game) or $162 for Fan Packs (a block of four tickets that averages less than $3 per ticket per game). Purchases can be made in person (second-floor ticket windows at the Joyce Center at the Gate 1 entrance), by phone (574-631-7356), or on-line through the official Notre Dame athletics web site by clicking here.
Among the teams slated to play the Irish at the Joyce Center this season are Bowling Green, Purdue, Louisville, DePaul and Rutgers. Like Notre Dame, all five of those teams reached the NCAA Tournament last year, and all of them are receiving mention in virtually every preseason poll this year. The Irish also will play host to Indiana on Dec. 3 in what is being called the “Hoosier State Game of the Year” and expected to be the highest-attended women’s basketball game in the state of Indiana in 2006-07. In fact, early indications are Notre Dame is poised to register the fourth sellout (11,418 fans) in program history and the second in as many years following last season’s capacity crowd for a New Year’s Eve showdown with Tennessee.
In addition to the “Hoosier State Game of the Year,” the Irish have a full schedule of exciting promotions and giveaways on tap for ’06-07. Fans can get a complete rundown of this season’s women’s basketball events through the official Notre Dame promotions web site by clicking here.
Notre Dame posted a 18-12 record last year, rising as high as 10th in the national polls, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 11th consecutive season. The Irish have three starters and eight monogram winners back from that club this time around, not to mention the nation’s No. 21-ranked recruiting class (per All-Star Girls Report) that includes three Indiana natives, two of whom were the runner-up and third-place finishers in the voting for 2006 Indiana Miss Basketball.
“I can’t tell you how excited we are about this season, especially with the local talent joining our program,” Notre Dame coordinator of basketball operations Stephanie Menio said. “It’s no surprise that our season ticket sales are on the rise again this year (after last season’s 14-percent increase) and I would anticipate the lower bowl of the arena selling out in the next week or so. If you’re a die-hard Irish women’s basketball fan, or just someone looking to join us for the first time this season, now would be the time to buy your tickets. Those Indiana tickets are going to go especially fast, and we don’t want anyone to be left out of the fun and excitement of Notre Dame women’s basketball this season!”
Notre Dame has ranked among the top 20 in the nation in average attendance the past six years, including an 11th-place showing in 2005-06 when the Irish averaged 6,601 fans per game. Notre Dame also has had at least 5,000 fans attend 78 of the past 80 home games, heading into the 2006-07 season.
The Irish will hold a special open practice on Saturday, Oct. 28 (10 a.m.-noon ET) at the Joyce Center for their season ticket holders, as well as those fans interested in purchasing season tickets — the general public should enter via Gate 10 at the arena. Following their regularly-scheduled workout, the Notre Dame players and coaches will be available to sign autographs, taking photos and meet with all Irish fans on the upper concourse at the Joyce Center.
— ND —