Werner Celebrates 15th Year Milestone as the Official Ladder of NCAA® March Madness®

Werner Provides Custom Designed Championship Ladders throughout March Madness®; Werner celebrates with coaches, student-athletes and fans during NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Championship Games

ITASCA, Ill., March 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Werner, the world leader in ladders and manufacturer of climbing products and fall protection equipment, partners with the NCAA® for the 15th year in a row, marking a significant milestone in the sports partnership. Werner provides custom ladders for the net-cutting ceremonies in both the Men's and Women's Regional and National Championship basketball games. The 2023 season includes a special edition Werner Podium Ladder that features a larger platform and taller guardrails, built specifically for this years' champions that will safely accommodate taller student-athletes and larger shoe sizes.

"We are honored to partner with the NCAA for the 15^th year and always enjoy the excitement and festivities the championship games bring," said Stacy Gardella, Head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations, 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 will take place in Dallas, Texas, on March 31 and the Championship game will take place on April 2. The NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Semifinals and Championship games will take place in Houston, Texas, 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 will be 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 1940's 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 (NABC), Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), 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 are currently four finalists for the 2023 award, with the award ceremony being held on March 29 for the Women's Coach of the Year and April 2 for the Men's Coach of the Year.

ABOUT WERNER 
Werner, a WernerCo Professional Brand, is the official ladder of NCAA® March Madness® and the world leader in ladders with a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights. The portfolio includes ladders, scaffolding, pump jacks, stages, planks, accessories and fall protection equipment including harnesses, lanyards, anchors and compliance kits. From ladders to fall protection, WERNER provides a full line of climbing equipment that is engineered for maximum safety, durability and productivity at every height. All Werner products meet or exceed applicable international safety standards. For more information, visit www.wernerladder.com.

ABOUT THE NCAA® 
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Aflac, Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Dick's Sporting Goods, Great Clips, Invesco, LG, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Nissan, Pizza Hut, Reese's, TurboTax, Unilever and Wendy's.

NCAA, March Madness, and Final Four are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men's and women's college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men's and women's college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA's Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women's recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Jersey Mike's and Werner Ladder.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Angie Maddox, Seed Factory, 404-996-4041; [email protected]

SOURCE Werner