HOUSTON, TX (Mar. 29, 2023) – A duo from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has been selected to participate in 2023 State Farm College Challenges this weekend in Houston during the NCAA Final Four. On the men’s side, Marist College’s Patrick Gardner has been selected to participate in the State Farm College Team Skills and 3X3U Championships at the Bayou Music Center in downtown Houston at 7:30 p.m. ET on March 29. The event will air on ESPN2 on April 2 at 10 p.m. ET. On the women’s side, Iona University’s Kate Mager has been selected to the Celsius Women’s 3-Point Championship roster for the 34th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships at the Bayou Music Center in downtown Houston on Thursday, March 30. Mager is one of eight players selected for the event that will air live on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
Gardner was named First Team NABC All-District, Second Team All-MAAC, and to the MAAC All-Championship Team this season. He ranked in the top 10 in the MAAC in four statistical categories, including second in scoring. His 631 points were the third most in Marist's 43 seasons as a Division I program. Gardner, who previously played at Nassau Community College and Saint Michael's College, finished his collegiate career with 2,151 points. He was also recently selected to the West All-Stars Team for the 2023 NABC – Reese’s Division I College All-Star Game, which will take place this weekend during the Final Four as well, on Friday, March 31 at 4:30 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium in Houston.
 
A new event this year, the State Farm College Team Skills & 3X3U Championships will feature a dynamic roster of graduating college seniors competing in a variety of competitions including team shootouts, a skills relay and 3x3 basketball.
 
One of the most prolific shooters in all of college basketball, Mager was voted to the All-MAAC Second Team and was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team. A major difference maker for the Maroon & Gold, she finished the regular season second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (49.7%), fifth in three-point field goals per game (3.17) and seventh in three-point field goals made (92). Mager set a single-season program record for three-point field goal percentage; her 104 trifectas were good for second most in a single season and her field goal percentage (52.0%) was the fifth highest in Iona history.
 
The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships invites the nation’s elite men’s and women’s college basketball players to compete for slam dunk and 3-point shooting bragging rights. The night features the King’s Hawaiian Slam Dunk Championship, the TaxAct Men’s 3-Point Championship, the Celsius Women’s 3-Point Championship and the Applebee’s Team Shootout. The winners of the men’s and women’s 3-Point competitions will then compete in the Rocket Mortgage Battle of the Champions.
 
For nearly 35 years, several of the top players in college basketball have competed in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships including Gary Payton, Steve Nash, Jason Terry, Kyle Korver, Bobby Hurley, Michael Finley, Denzel Valentine, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Gearlds, Kristi Toliver, Tiffany Hayes and Ariel Atkins.
 
Intersport will stage three events during college basketball’s most exciting weekend at the Bayou Music Center in downtown Houston, which it will dub Hoops House, providing ample programming for fans near and far to whet their basketball appetites ahead of the college basketball’s season finale. Intersport’s complete schedule of events for Hoops House is as follows:
 

Date	Time	Event	TV Coverage
March 29	7:30 p.m. ET	State Farm College Team Skills & 3X3U Championships	ESPN2 (aired on Sunday, April 2, 10 p.m. ET)
March 30	7:30 p.m. ET	State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships	ESPN2 (LIVE)
March 31	8 p.m. ET	Rocket Mortgage High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships	CBS (aired on Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m. ET)

 
A complete roster of participants in the 2023 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships will be released in the days leading up to the event.
 
Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.collegeslam.com and www.houstonhoopshouse.com. For more information about the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@CollegeSLAM) and Instagram (@College_Slam).
 
About State Farm
For 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been and continues to be to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and approximately 53,400 employees serve over 87 million policies and accounts – which includes auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 42 on the 2022 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com. ?
 
About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle, culinary and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersport.global, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.