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The 10 programs that make up the Big East will visit Milwaukee next spring for the conference's 2017 women's basketball tournament. Marquette will host the tournament at the Al McGuire Center, marking the second successive year that the four-day event — scheduled for March 4-7 — will be held at an on-campus arena and hosted by one of the league's schools.

The decision to hold the tournament in Milwaukee was approved by the league's athletic directors at a recent Big East meeting.

“The Big East is very proud to bring our 2017 Women’s Basketball Tournament to Marquette University and ‘The Al,’ and we look forward to working with Bill Scholl and his staff in planning this marquee championship competition,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said in a release. “Our student-athletes, coaches and supporters can count on an exciting in-arena atmosphere, a first-class operation and all the amenities that the great city of Milwaukee has to offer, led by a program that’s on the rise. In short, this will be a terrific event for the conference and our schools.”

For 21 seasons (1983-2003), the tournament was played at campus sites before moving to off-campus locations in 2004. Either the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. or Allstate Arena in Chicago was the host from 2004-'15 before DePaul hosted the 2016 tournament at its on-campus home, McGrath-Phillips Arena.

“We are very excited that Marquette University has been awarded the opportunity to host the 2017 Big East Women’s Basketball Tournament,” Marquette athletic director Bill Scholl said in a release. “Milwaukee is a fantastic city, and we believe our visitors will really enjoy their time here. It is a privilege to host this premier women’s basketball event, and I know that our staff will do an excellent job in welcoming all 10 Big East teams to the Al McGuire Center. It is a great opportunity for our program.”