Three schools from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ( WIAC ) in the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship.
UW-Stevens Point received an automatic bid, while UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater secured at-large bids. All three schools will open postseason action on March 6.
Stevens Point (23-4) earned an automatic bid into the 60-team field after winning the WIAC tournament championship. The Pointers will open NCAA action against Cornell College (Iowa (21-6) in St. Paul, Minn. UW-Stevens Point will be making the eighth NCAA championship appearance in school history and claimed national championships in 2004 and 2005.
UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater received two of 18 available at-large spots. The Pioneers (22-5) will face Hope College (Mich.) (21-7) in Wheaton, Ill. UW-Platteville secured national championships in 1991, 1995, 1998 and 1999 and is in the national field for the 10th time in program listings.
The Warhawks (22-5) will travel to Elmhurst College (Ill.) (20-7) for a first round contest. UW-Whitewater will make the 15th NCAA appearance in program archives and secured the first-place trophy in 1984 and 1989.
The Lawrence University men's basketball team will take on defending national champions Washington University in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Vikings (19-6) will be part of the four-team regional at Elmhurst College along with Whitewater.
Lawrence is making it's second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, the fifth in the past six years, and the sixth overall. Lawrence earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament with an 88-69 win over Grinnell College this past Saturday to win the Midwest Conference Championship.
Washington U. recently had its 14-game winning streak snapped, and the Bears are currently ranked second by D3hoops.com. The Vikings were ranked 25th in the last poll.
