Invesco QQQ, the Official ETF of the NCAA, elevates commitment to collegiate athletics with women’s basketball trophy support

Plano, Texas – Invesco QQQ – the official ETF of the NCAA – has become the title sponsor of the WBCA Coaches’ Trophy. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) presents the award each year to the Division I women’s basketball national champion at the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. Invesco is also the official asset management partner of the NCAA.

The Invesco QQQ WBCA Coaches’ Trophy is made of handcrafted Waterford Crystal in the shape of a basketball and sits atop a large black acrylic base. The deal was negotiated by LEARFIELD, who coordinates corporate agreements with the WBCA for the NCAA. The deal marks the third time in the history of the trophy that it has been sponsored.  ESPN, which holds the exclusive rights for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, also contributed to the agreement via Disney Advertising.

“This is a huge win for all involved in women’s basketball,” noted Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president for women’s basketball. “Invesco QQQ understands how much we do to support our game and that there is a great market for their company among the followers of women’s basketball.”

The WBCA, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the unified voice of coaches of women’s basketball and leads in the growth and management of the sport. The WBCA holds its convention in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four each year. The 2022 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be April 1 and 3 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

“We are proud to be the title sponsor of the WBCA Coaches’ Trophy as a way to celebrate women’s collegiate athletics,” said Anna Paglia, global head of ETFs and indexed strategies for Invesco. “We look forward to partnering with the WBCA and supporting women’s basketball coaches who play an important role for female athletes on and off the court.”

Some of the most heralded women’s basketball coaches and student-athletes have earned the coaches’ trophy since it was first presented after the 1994 championship to the University of North Carolina. Connecticut leads the nation with 11 trophies in its case, followed by Tennessee (5), Baylor (3), Notre Dame (2), Maryland (1), North Carolina (1), Purdue (1), South Carolina (1), Stanford (1) and Texas A&M (1).

“Each year at the conclusion of the Women’s Final Four, I have the honor of presenting the WBCA Coaches’ Trophy to the head coach of the national champion,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “The image of the coach raising the Waterford Crystal basketball is one of the most iconic in sport and the WBCA is pleased to welcome Invesco QQQ to the women’s basketball community as our newest corporate partner.”

“Invesco QQQ’s investment in our Coaches’ Trophy, our association and our sport is further acknowledgment of the value of women’s basketball — in college athletics programs, the corporate world, and beyond,” said UCLA head coach Cori Close, president of the WBCA. “We welcome Invesco QQQ as our newest corporate partner and look forward to working with them as we continue to grow our great game.”

“ESPN is consistently working to amplify women’s sports,” said Sean Hanrahan, SVP, Disney Sports Brand Solutions. “As the official broadcaster of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament since 1996, we are proud to collaborate with amazing sponsors, such as Invesco QQQ, who lean into our commitment to diversity in athletics.”

 About LEARFIELD

LEARFIELD is a leading media and technology services company in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD services includes licensing and multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics; ticketing, ticket sales and professional concessions expertise; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions. Visit LEARFIELD.com for more information.

 About INVESCO QQQ

Invesco QQQ is an exchange-traded fund based on the Nasdaq-100 Index®. The Index includes 100 of the largest domestic and international nonfinancial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. An investment cannot be made directly into an index. This is not to be construed as an offer to buy or sell Invesco QQQ.

 About the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association

For 40 years, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has been the professional association for coaches of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.

 About the NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit NCAA.org and NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.

 About ESPN

ESPN, Inc., is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment brand, featuring an unmatched portfolio of sports assets.  It is comprised of eight U.S. 24-hour television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, Longhorn Network, SEC Network and the ACC Network; five with HD simulcast services – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes). Other businesses include direct-to-consumer video service ESPN+, ESPN Audio (broadcast, satellite, digital, podcasts), an array of digital services (ESPN.com and many other sites, ESPN App, fantasy games and more), multi-screen ESPN3, ESPN International (26 networks, syndication, radio, digital), consumer products, ESPN Events and espnW. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Hearst holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.