After losing in the opening game of the D-II College World Series, Wingate (38-13) staved off elimination time after time after time and hung on to take the title

Logan McNeely’s single in the bottom of the fifth brought in McCann Mellett to tie the game at 3-3. McNeely then scored what proved to be the game-winning runoff the Bulldogs when two batters later, Gehrig Christopher’s single brought him home from second.

Sam Broderson earned the win for the Bulldogs. Broderson came into the game in the fifth and gave up no runs or hits in his five innings of work, striking out five and walking only one.

The top-seeded Mules finished the year at 48-7.

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INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division II Championships Committee has chosen predetermined regional sites for the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.

Due to the health and safety protocols surrounding the pandemic, it is necessary to conduct all NCAA championship competition at predetermined sites. The committee believes the sites and hosts chosen will provide an exceptional and safe experience for all participants.

The following sites and hosts were chosen for the men’s championship:

Regional quarterfinal games will begin Saturday, March 13, followed by the semifinals Sunday, March 14, and the regional championship Tuesday, March 16. Winners will advance to the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Elite Eight in Evansville, Indiana, on March 24-27.

“We were very pleased with the quantity and quality of the options the committee was able to select from under the circumstances,” said Fran Reidy, chair of the Division II Men’s Basketball Committee and Saint Leo vice president and director of athletics. “We are confident that while predetermined sites are new for our regional format, that each host site has a history of successfully hosting NCAA events and that our basketball student-athletes will have a championship experience at each of the venues.”

The following sites and hosts were chosen for the women’s championship:

Regional quarterfinal games will begin Friday, March 12, followed by the semifinals Saturday, March 13, and the regional championship Monday, March 15. Winners will advance to the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Elite Eight in Columbus, Ohio, on March 23-26.

“On behalf of Division II women’s basketball, we are excited for the upcoming championship and thankful to the hosts of this year’s predetermined sites,” said Lori Hopkins, chair of the Division II Women’s Basketball Committee and deputy athletics director at Northwest Missouri State. “Though we are doing things a little different this year, I have no doubt the quality and excellence of the championship will remain the same for all the participants. A great student-athlete experience is one of our highest priorities, and making sure it is safe and secure for all will go a long way in making this year’s championship memorable for all involved.”

Participating teams will be announced Sunday, March 7. The women’s basketball selection show will be broadcast on ncaa.com at 10 p.m. Eastern time followed by the men’s basketball selection show at 10:30 p.m. Eastern time.

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INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA, in conjunction with the Marion County Public Health Department, has formalized the COVID-19 health and safety protocols to be used during the 2021 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, including all rounds and the Final Four.

The protocols outline testing, physical distancing and contact tracing requirements before teams arrive and throughout their stay in the tournament.

Earlier this week, Indiana was announced as the home of the entire tournament.

“Our emphasis is on the safety and well-being of everyone participating in the event,” said NCAA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brian Hainline. “By working with local health officials to develop protocols and administer COVID-19 testing, we are confident we will provide a safe environment for student-athletes, coaches, administrators and officials.”

All Tier 1 travel party participants will be required to undergo and document seven consecutive negative COVID-19 tests prior to arrival into Indianapolis. The NCAA will work with IU Health to provide health related support including the administration of daily PCR tests for Tier 1 individuals upon arrival and throughout the tournament. Tier 1 participants include student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, medical staff, equipment staff and officials.

The NCAA will arrange charter bus and/or air travel for all Tier 1 participants. All teams participating will be housed in Marion County hotels for the duration of their active participation in the tournament. Meals will either be in-room or in physically distanced meal rooms with assigned seating.

Except during practice or competition time on court, all Tier 1 participants will observe physical distancing and universal masking at all times. Exceptions are while alone in the hotel room or during pre-arranged and approved mealtime.

All Tier 1 participants will wear KINEXON contact tracing devices throughout the tournament, including practices and games. These devices, coupled with video analysis, provide data that allows total time measurement of those who are within 6 feet of a newly infected individual with COVID-19. The data will be utilized to assist with contact tracing and the need to quarantine participants. If close contact time with another individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 is less than 15 minutes over 24 hours, then quarantine may not be required.

COVID-19 testing and contact tracing will not be required for asymptomatic Tier 1 individuals who are at least two weeks post-infection and within 90 days of the first known date of infection, or participants who are at least two weeks post their second COVID-19 vaccine (or singular COVID-19 vaccine for FDA approved vaccines that require one dose only). These groups will still be required to wear masks and physically distance.

The protocols also address game attendance. Up to six family members per Tier 1 participant (up to 420 family members total) will be allowed in each venue per game. The family members will be prohibited from interacting in person with any of the Tier 1 participants during the entire tournament. They will be seated in physically distanced family clusters. The final attendance policy will be announced after Feb. 1.

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INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA will stage the entire 2021 men’s basketball championship in Indiana, with the majority of the tournament’s 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Selection Sunday is still scheduled for March 14, and plans remain to have the Final Four on April 3 and 5, with exact preliminary-round dates to be determined.

“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”

The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators and officials. The Marion County Health Department has approved medical protocols shared by the NCAA and will continue collaborating with the NCAA leading up to and during the championship.

The tournament will be hosted by Ball State, Butler, the Horizon League, Indiana, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Purdue, which are lending their facilities and staffs to assist with tournament operations. The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts set up inside the venue. Marriott properties, an official NCAA corporate partner, will house most of the tournament teams. The properties are connected to the convention center via skywalks and within a controlled environment. All teams will be housed on dedicated hotel floors, with physically distanced meeting and dining rooms, as well as secure transportation to and from competition venues.

Games will be played on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Only one game at a time will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

CBS Sports and Turner Sports will continue to distribute all 67 games of the tournament across TBS, CBS, TNT, truTV and their digital platforms.

“The 2021 version of March Madness will be one to remember, if for no other reason than the uniqueness of the event,” said NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt. “With the direction of the Men’s Basketball Committee, we are making the most of the circumstances the global pandemic has presented. We’re fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and surrounding communities who not only love the game of basketball as much as anyone else in the country but have a storied history when it comes to staging major sporting events.

“This is going to be complicated and difficult; there’s no question about that. We appreciate the collaboration among the Men’s Basketball Committee and staff, our hosts and local organizers, the staffs at each practice and competition venue, and our broadcast and corporate partners. We will all pull together and stage a terrific national championship.”

The NCAA is closely monitoring the ongoing pandemic and will continue to work with local officials to determine the feasibility of having fans attend games at any of the venues, though a limited number of family members of each participating team’s student-athletes and coaches will be permitted to attend their team’s games. Details pertaining to the possible allocation of other tickets will be finalized later, as will any decision about fan events.

The NCAA also is working with the city and state to promote “Mask Madness,” an initiative to promote health and safety by practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. As part of this program, the NCAA will donate thousands of masks throughout the state leading up to the tournament.

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