ALBANY - The University at Albany's SEFCU Arena will host the 2013 America East men's and women's basketball championships.

The tournament will be held from March 7-10, and will be the first time UAlbany has hosted both tournaments, after hosting just the men's event in 2009.

“We are thrilled that the University at Albany has been chosen by the membership to host this championship,” said Lee McElroy, Albany Vice President & Director of Athletics. “Our staff looks forward to building on the standard that Hartford has created hosting the combined tournament during the last three years and promise to provide a first-class tournament for America East, its schools, student-athletes and fans, as well as the Capital Region.”

The men's and women's tournaments were combined three years ago and drawn nearly 43,000 fans over those three years.

“The first three years of the combined basketball championship have been a great success and we are excited to take the 2013 tournament to Albany,” America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen said. “Albany served as a great host for the 2009 men’s championship, one of our most successful in recent memory, and will no doubt be so again in 2013.”