Werner Still Standing Strong at the Top - Celebrates 17 Years as the Official Ladder for NCAA® March Madness®

Werner Celebrates the 2025 Season of the NCAA Men's and Women's Championship Games; Werner Custom Ladder Takes Center Court and Used Exclusively During NCAA Net-Cutting Ceremonies

ITASCA, Ill., March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Werner, the world leader in ladders and manufacturer of climbing and fall protection equipment, is proud to once again stand at the heart of an unforgettable college basketball tradition – the net-cutting ceremonies that celebrate the NCAA Men's and Women's Regional and National Championships. As part of the annual tradition, Werner creates exclusive Podium Ladders built specifically for the NCAA games. Engineered with the players and coaches in mind, the Werner Ladders feature wider rungs, a larger platform and higher guardrails to accommodate varying heights, weights and shoe sizes, delivering unmatched safety and confidence when it matters most. Watching these inspirational athletes and coaches climb the ladder to cut down the nets continues to be a great moment of pride for the entire Werner team.

"March Madness represents the defining moments of college basketball and Werner is honored to provide the ladder that champions climb," said Stacy Gardella, Head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations at ProDriven. "As an industry leader trusted worldwide, our involvement starts months in advance by building each custom ladder with care and precision. From design to delivery, every part of our NCAA partnership reflects the scale, pride and energy our team brings to this celebrated experience," continued Gardella.

Engineered for Champions: Werner's Custom Podium Ladder
While fans may see just one ladder during the final moments of March Madness, behind the scenes, Werner is building and delivering nearly 100 customized ladders nationwide. Sixty Ladders are distributed across select conference championships, as well as the Division I, Division II and Division III Men's and Women's Regional and National Championship Games. The remaining 40 ladders – used to support facility operations and local community programming – are donated to local YMCAs, host schools and event facilities.

As champion teams ascend these iconic ladders, scissors in hand, the Werner brand proudly appears across national broadcast, digital and print media. What began as a small tradition in the 1940s has evolved into a time-honored ritual and Werner is honored to help elevate it – one rung at a time.

Werner is bringing the net-cutting magic straight to the fans with a one-of-a-kind experiential ladder tour in NCAA championship host cities. At select, in-person events, fans can get up and close with the Werner Podium Ladders, snap photos, and even enter to win exclusive memorabilia. By tagging @wernersafetyaboveall or using the hashtag #WernerMadness on Facebook, Instagram or X, fans can be a part of the celebration. After the tour wraps, the winning school can triumphantly display the Championship Werner Ladder on campus.

Championships Begin with Great Coaches
Werner proudly continues its support of the sport's coaching excellence through ongoing sponsorships of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), and the prestigious Naismith Awards for Men's and Women's College Coach of the Year. As a title sponsor of the Naismith Awards since 2017, Werner celebrates these coaches whose leadership shapes the winning teams and the student-athletes across the country. For the 2025 season, four finalists have been named for each award, with ceremonies being held in Tampa on April 2 and San Antonio on April 6.

The NCAA^® Division I Women's Final Four games and National Championship will take place in Tampa, Florida on April 4 & 6, while the NCAA^® Division I Men's Final Four games and National Championship will be held in San Antonio, Texas on April 5 & 7.

ABOUT WERNER^®
Werner, a ProDriven Global 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: Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, GEICO, Great Clips, Intuit Turbotax, Invesco QQQ, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Nissan, Pizza Hut, Reese's, The Home Depot, 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 AXIA Time, Jersey Mike's, MOLECULE, Sharpie and Werner Ladder.

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

SOURCE Werner