Franklin & Marshall Finishes Eighth in NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Home Attendance

by Sports Information
6/16/04

LANCASTER, PA -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced today that Franklin & Marshall College ranked eighth in Division III men's basketball home attendance.

In 19 home games, the F&M men's basketball team attracted 24,735 people to the Mayser Center, an average of 1,302 fans per contest. Overall, 29,681 spectators witnessed a Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball game during the 2004 season as the team drew 4,946 fans in 11 road games this year and set a school record for home and total attendance.

The total marks the first time Franklin & Marshall averaged over 1,000 fans per home game since 2001 when F&M drew 14,205 fans in 14 games for an average of 1,015 fans per contest to rank 20th in the nation. Overall, 19,951 spectators witnessed a Franklin & Marshall men's basketball game during the 2001 season as the team led the Centennial Conference in road attendance with 5,746 fans in 11 games.

Hope College led the Division III rankings with an average of 2,491 fans (34,872 in 14 games), bettering runner-up Illinois-Wesleyan's 2,077 (27,000 in 13 games).

Calvin (2,014), Gustavus Adolphus (1,619), Otterbein (1,494), 2004 NCAA champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1,435), Wooster (1,426), Franklin & Marshall, Capital (1,230) and Willamette (1,219) rounded out the top ten teams.

Ranked #6 in the final D3hoops.com poll, the Diplomats captured the Centennial Conference Championship and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they advanced to the NCAA "Elite Eight"

Overall, the tournament berth marked the 19th in the history of men's basketball at the College as the team earned NCAA bids in 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1986-1996, 1999 and 2000, including appearances in four Final Fours (1979, 1991, 1996, 2000).

F&M, which knocked off Hampden-Sydney 78-76 in the round of 32, defeated Gwynedd Mercy (92-72 W) in the "Sweet 16", but fell to Amherst 82-70 in the "Elite Eight" to conclude the season among the top eight teams in the nation.

For F&M, which concluded the year with the 19th 20-win season under head coach Glenn Robinson (674-235), the team's 26-4 record (17-1 in Centennial Conference play) marked the program's best mark and highest winning percentage (.867) since the 1996 team concluded the year 29-3 (.906) in the NCAA "Final Four".

2004 NCAA Men's Basketball Home Attendance Leaders
Rank Institution Total Attendance-Avg.
1. Hope 34,872-2,491
2. Illinois Wesleyan 27,000-2,014
3. Calvin 26,184-2,014
4. Gustavus Adolphus 22,666-1,619
5. Otterbein 17,926-1,494
6. Wisc-Stevens Point 24,390-1,435
7. Wooster 25,671-1,426
8. Franklin & Marshall 24,735-1,302
9. Capital 15,985-1,230
10. Williamette 9,750-1,219
11. Whitworth 10,846-1,205
12. Buena Vista 16,821-1,202
13. Wisc-Stout 13,089-1,190
14. Keene State 18,794-1,175
15. Wittenberg 19.695-1,159
16. Christopher Newport 19,377-1,140
17. Wheaton (IL) 13,421-1,118
18. John Carroll 16,685-1,112
19. Franklin 15,487-1,106
20. Hampden-Sydney 15,373-1,098
21. Pacific Lutheran 10,225-1,023
22. Wisc-Platteville 12,168-1,014
23. Maryville (TN) 13,686-978
24. Grinnell 10,720-975
25. Lawrence 12,623-971
26. Wisc-River Falls 12,465-959
27. Westminster 12,264-943
28. Linfield 9,900-900
29. Williams 17,538-877
30. Wisc-Eau Claire 12,258-876

Average NCAA Division III Game Attendance: 427