ELMHURST, Ill. - Sioux Falls, S.D., will host The Summit League Basketball Tournament for an additional two seasons beyond its present two year agreement that expires following the 2010 event. Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple announced today that the league’s men’s and women’s championships will be played at Sioux Falls Arena in 2011 and 2012.

“We are excited about continuing our relationship with the city of Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Sports Authority, Sioux Falls Arena and our current corporate sponsors,” said Douple. “From the day we announced that our basketball championships were coming to Sioux Falls, we have seen a substantial commitment from everyone involved.  Based on the record success achieved in our first season in Sioux Falls, our league is confident that this event will to continue its growth over the next three years.”

The Summit League Presidents Council voted Monday to continue the league’s top event in South Dakota’s largest city. Sioux Falls hosted the tournament for the first time in 2009 and set records for attendance, ticket sales and corporate sponsorship. The 2010 tournament returns to Sioux Falls Arena and is slated for March 6-9.

“Last season’s Summit League Championships in Sioux Falls achieved record level success that can be directly attributed to the support shown by all parties involved,” said Southern Utah University President Dr. Michael Benson. “Extending our agreement to hold the tournament in Sioux Falls for an additional two seasons will give our league and the city an opportunity to continue to grow The Summit League Basketball Championships into a marquee event for both the city and the state of South Dakota.”

Attendance for the 2009 Summit League Basketball Championships reached a new league standard with 34,681 spectators, eclipsing the previous mark by over 6,000. A total of 16,999 fans attended the women’s session to set a league record and all-session ticket sales prior to the tournament reached an all-time high. Corporate sponsorships surpassed $290,000, a record mark in Summit League history.

In addition, the men’s and women’s championship games were broadcast by ESPN2 and ESPNU, marking the first time that sports events originating from South Dakota were televised live to a national audience.

The Summit League Basketball Championships feature the league’s top eight men’s and women’s teams with the winners receiving automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.

Built in 1961, the Sioux Falls Arena is a 7,100-seat facility. It is home to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, an NBA Development League (D-League) team, the Sioux Falls Storm, an Indoor Football League (IFL) team, and the Sioux Falls Stampede, a United States Hockey League (USHL) team. The arena also hosts several musical and theatrical productions.