Nov. 6, 2006

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University Athletics Department and Office of Student Affairs, in cooperation with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, has announced new travel arrangements for student season ticket holders during the 2006-07 men's basketball season.

The Hoyas open the 2006-07 season on Saturday, November 11, when the team hosts Hartford in a non-league game at the Verizon Center. Tip off is slated for noon. Georgetown, ranked No. 8 in the country in the ESPN/USA Today Top-25 and the Associated Press media poll, is coming off a 2005-06 season in which the team posted a 23-10 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Hoyas are looking forward to an all-time high in fan support at the Verizon Center, and student season ticket sales have more than doubled from last season's totals.

Georgetown University students with season tickets for the Hoya men's basketball team can now travel to and from home games using the Metrorail. The Athletic Department will provide free Metro cards for all student season ticket holders and will provide free shuttles to and from the Rosslyn or Dupont Circle Metro for all Hoya men's basketball games at the Verizon Center that occur while classes are in session.

The Athletic Department, with input from student fan groups and the Georgetown's Office of Transportation Management, has developed this new transportation opportunity for student season ticket holders and worked with WMATA to reduce transport times for students to attend games.

"With student fan support at an all-time high, we had to find a creative solution that would provide quick, easy and safe transportation to and from the Verizon Center," Director of Athletics Bernard Muir said. "Working with Student Affairs, GU Transportation Services and WMATA, I am thrilled with the result."

Shuttle buses will begin running two hours prior to tip-off.

For weeknight games, shuttles will run from Lot 3 (in front of McDonough Gymnasium) to the Dupont Circle Metro Station, where students can take the Red Line toward Glenmont and get off at the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop.

For weekend games, shuttles will run from the North Road Stop Sign across from the Multi-Sport Field to the Rosslyn Metro Station, where students can take the Orange Line (New Carrollton) or Blue Line (Largo Town Center) and get off at Metro Center and either walk directly to the arena or change trains to the Red Line (Glenmont) and get off at the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop.

After the games, instead of waiting in long bus lines at the arena, students can take the Metro to the Rosslyn Station by simply accessing the Red Line (Shady Grove) at the Verizon Center and changing trains at Metro Center to the Orange (Vienna/Fairfax) or Blue (Springfield Franconia). Shuttle buses will run from the GUTS bus stop at the Rosslyn Metro Station, starting at the end of the game and continue for two hours. Students must present valid GO cards to access shuttle buses.

Information as to how students can obtain their FREE Metro cards will be included in their ticket packages, which can be picked up at the McDonough Arena box office this week.