March 22, 2011

FARMVILLE, Va. - Longwood University was one of 33 winners in the NCAA Division I “Pack the House” Challenge for the 2010-11 season. “Pack the House” is national effort in which conferences and institutions compete to build attendance at women's basketball games. The Lancers welcomed 595 fans in Willett Hall for a game against Davidson College on Friday, January 28, to claim the Independents challenge. The NCAA will donate $500 to Habitat for Humanity in Longwood's name for winning the challenge.

“The marketing staff and our fans did a great job helping us win the “Pack the House” challenge for the third time in four years,” said Longwood Director of Marketing Eric Stoller. “The Lancer Lunatics and the residence halls played a major part in bringing students out to the game.”

This is the third time in four years Longwood has won the challenge, as the Lancers also claimed the title during the 2009-10 season when 831 fans braved a snowstorm to see Longwood take on the University of Maryland and during the 2007-08 season when 817 fans came to Willett Hall to see the Lancers take on Radford University.

“Pack the House” is a national effort in which conferences and institutions compete to build attendance. NCAA Division I women's basketball marketing staffs selected a home game and designated that date as a “Pack the House” game with the goal of setting an attendance record. One winner from each of the 32 conferences and one from a group of independent institutions were named. Selections were based on marketing plan creativity and attendance criteria.