Werner partnered with the NCAA for the 15th year in a row, marking a significant milestone in the sports partnership. Werner provided custom ladders for the net-cutting ceremonies in both the Men’s and Women’s Regional and National Championship basketball games. The 2023 season included a special edition Werner Podium Ladder that features a larger platform and taller guardrails, built specifically for this years’ champions, and will safely accommodate taller student-athletes and larger shoe sizes.
“We are honored to partner with the NCAA for the 15th year and always enjoy the excitement and festivities the championship games bring,” said Stacy Gardella, head of global marketing technology & operations at WernerCo. “Now more than ever, these winning moments and experiences provide memories for a lifetime. We have an exciting lineup, including a press conference in Dallas to recognize the Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year. In Houston, we have the Naismith Awards Brunch to recognize the Men’s College Basketball award winners and we will have activation teams in Dallas and Houston touring with the Championship Podium Ladder for photo opportunities.”
The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Semifinals games took place in Dallas on March 31 and the championship game took place on April 2. The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Semifinals and Championship games took place in Houston on April 1 and 3, respectively.
Custom Podium Ladder Designed to Reach New Heights
The Werner Podium Ladder was designed specifically for the NCAA Championships. Werner set out to design the perfect ladder for the champions and to do that, the average shoe size, wingspan, weight and height of college basketball student-athletes were factored in. The result is the customized Championship Podium Ladder, with a larger platform and taller guardrail that allows student-athletes to safely celebrate their success while standing on one of the latest ladder innovations.
Twenty-eight Werner Championship Podium Ladders were shipped to select conference championships along with Division I, II and III men’s and women’s NCAA championship games. Each ladder was used in the ceremonious net-cutting moment, where the championship-winning schools’ student-athletes and coaches climb the Werner Ladder to cut parts of the net. This tradition dates back to the 1940s and is an integral part of every basketball championship season.
Fans can engage with the Werner brand through social media for unique opportunities to win memorabilia as well as post photos of themselves and tag @wernerladderco or use the hashtag #ReachNewHeights on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Celebrating the Talented Coaches This Season
Werner is also a proud sponsor of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, and the Naismith Men’s and Women’s College Coach of the Year awards. Werner has been the title sponsor for the Naismith Awards since 2017, which is presented annually to the men’s and women’s college coaches who achieve outstanding on-court success. This season, there were four finalists for the 2023 award, with the award ceremony held on March 29 for the Women’s Coach of the Year and April 2 for the Men’s Coach of the Year.
