Tampa set the stage for what would be an incredible student athlete and fan experience for a potential Frozen Four in the Bay Area when recently conducting a site visit with NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Committee Chair Wayne Dean and Director of Championships Tom Jacobs.  Along with several other of Tampa's amenities, the two NCAA Hockey Officials visited the St. Pete Times Forum, which has the seating capacity to set a NCAA Frozen Four attendance record, and has the NCAA track record to successfully host the best Frozen Four ever.  Among those assisting the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and St. Pete Times Forum in the site visit was a former Frozen Four participant and current reigning NHL Most Valuable Player, the Tampa Bay Lightning's Martin St. Louis.

"To hear Martin St. Louis talk about his experience here as a player and to see the Stanley Cup, we know that hockey is a part of the culture," said Wayne Dean, the chairman of the six-member Division I men's ice hockey committee. "You can feel that hockey is growing here."

It was back on April 14th that the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee announced that Tampa's bid featuring the St. Pete Times Forum was one of the six finalists to host the Men's Frozen Four from 2009-2011. The University of Alabama-Huntsville would serve as the host institution for Tampa's bid.

The other finalists include Boston, which would have Boston University and the Hockey East Association hosting the event in the FleetCenter; Detroit, which would have the Central Collegiate Hockey Association hosting at Ford Field; Philadelphia, which would have Canisius College, Niagara University, Rider University and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference hosting at the Wachovia Center; St. Paul, Minnesota, which would have the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, hosting at the Xcel Energy Center and Washington, D.C., which would have the United States Naval Academy hosting at the MCI Center.

"The field of prospective hosts for this event was a very impressive one. Each year the selection process gets more and more competitive due to the popularity of the Frozen Four, and this year was certainly no exception," said Wayne Dean, chair of the Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee. "We also look forward to their presentations to the entire committee at our June meeting. I am sure the final selections will be just as tough as the establishment of the list of finalists."

Mr. Dean and a member of the NCAA staff will take site visits to all six locations prior to all cities doing formal presentations to the entire Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee, June 7-10, in Indianapolis. The committee will then forward its recommendations for 2009, 2010 and 2011 to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet to approve during its September 20-22, meeting in Indianapolis.

The next three Frozen Fours have already been determined. The 2006 event will take place at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the 2007 finals held at the Savvis Center in St. Louis, Missouri and the 2008 Men's Frozen Four at the Pepsi Center in Denver.