GREAT FALLS — Since the 2007-2008 basketball season, the higher-seeded team has always played host during the Frontier Conference tournament. That is all about to change following the 2022-2023 regular season. All tournament games will be hosted at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.
“Mostly every other college in the country plays on a neutral site so it’s awesome for the Frontier Conference,” said University of Providence men's basketball coach Steve Keller.
While it is fun to be able to compete for a tournament on your own floor, neutral locations have become part of the collegiate athletic experience for many players.
“We really want our kids to have a tournament experience,” said women's basketball head coach Bill Himmelberg. “Everything we do is about giving the best experience we can for our student athletes.”
The city of Great Falls will gain a lot from hosting the tournament. Bringing a three-day college basketball tournament into the city will financially boost the economy. Teams participating in the tournament will be traveling to Great Falls and staying for an extended period of time. Restaurants, hotels, and many other local businesses will financially benefit from the three-day event.
The conference tournament will be dated back-to-back with the Northern C Divisional tournament, also held at the Four Seasons Arena. The Great Falls community will have six to seven days of action-packed basketball games.
“For the college student athletes to watch Class C basketball, that’s amazing,” said Providence athletic director Doug Hashley. “For the Class C kids to watch Frontier basketball with all the communities around here, it’s going to be a great weekend.”
The Frontier basketball tournament will begin on Feb. 26 and crown its winner on Feb. 28.
