March 18, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - NC State and Boston College received bids Monday evening to participate in the 2008 Women's National Invitation Tournament, extending the number of Atlantic Coast Conference postseason teams to eight. For the sixth-straight year, the ACC will be represented by at least six teams in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Field of 64, while the Wolfpack and Eagles will contend for the 2008 WNIT crown.

North Carolina, which picked up the school's fourth consecutive ACC Tournament crown, finished 30-2 and earned a No. 1 slot for the fourth consecutive year. Joining the Tar Heels as a No. 1 seed are the Maryland Terrapins, who concluded the season 30-3 overall. Also representing the ACC in the NCAA postseason tournament are No. 3 seed Duke, No. 11 seed Florida State, No. 10 seed Georgia Tech, and No. 4 seed Virginia. In addition, the ACC was one of only three leagues to place at least six in this year's Big Dance.

Boston College (20-11) received a first-round bye to the WNIT field of 48 and will face the winner of Thursday's Dartmouth/Vermont game in second round action. The NIT bid is the first-ever for the Eagles, who have made trips to the NCAA Tournament the last seven out of nine years. The Eagles' contest is slated for Monday, March 24, with a time and date yet to be announced.

Also receiving a first-round bye is head coach Kay Yow's Wolfpack (18-12) squad, which will host the winner of the North Carolina A&T/South Carolina contest in second round action on Monday, March 24 at Reynolds Coliseum on the NC State campus. The postseason appearance is State's second-ever WNIT showing and 23rd since the school started sponsoring women's basketball in 1975. NC State has appeared in 20 NCAA tournaments, one WNIT, and two AIAW tournaments.

Expanded by eight teams last season, the 2008 WNIT field has 48 teams for the second year in tournament history. The top 16 seeded teams in the single-elimination tournament received a first-round bye.

The 2008 Postseason WNIT will feature 16 first-round games, followed by 16 second-round games, eight third-round games, four quarterfinal games, two semifinal games and the championship. All games in the single-elimination format are played at the home facilities of participating schools.

Maryland, ranked third in the nation, overcame No. 4 LSU last November for this year's Preseason WNIT crown. The Terps downed the Tigers 75-62 at the Comcast Center in College Park, Md., where Maryland owns a 19-0 home record this season and will contend in this year's NCAA Tournament first round action.

The WNIT 48-team field will kick off first round action on Wednesday, March 19 with the event culminating on Saturday, April 5 for the championship tilt.

- ACC -