2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen
Failed to qualify: Ken Schrader (No. 49), Joe Varde (No. 35), Scott Maxwell (No. 43), Larry Foyt (No. 50)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, GFS Marketplace 400
The GFS Marketplace 400 was held at Michigan International Speedway on August 17, 2003. Bobby Labonte won the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Sharpie 500
The Sharpie 500 was held at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 23, 2003. Jeff Gordon sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Sharpie 500
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (No. 02), Billy Bigley (No. 79), Derrike Cope (No. 37)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Mountain Dew Southern 500
The Mountain Dew Southern 500 was held at Darlington Speedway on August 31, 2003. This would be the last time until 2015 that the race was held on this date (See notes below). Ryan Newman sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Chevy Rock and Roll 400
The Chevy Rock and Roll 400 was held at Richmond International Raceway on September 6, 2003. Mike Skinner sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Chevy Rock and Roll 400
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (No. 50), Billy Bigley (No. 79)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Sylvania 300
The Sylvania 300 was held at New Hampshire International Speedway on September 14, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole. This was the final race for Bill France Jr. as the CEO of NASCAR.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Sylvania 300
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (No. 50), Derrike Cope (No. 37), Morgan Shepherd (No. 89), Carl Long (No. 46)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, MBNA America 400
The MBNA America 400 was held at Dover International Speedway on September 21, 2003. Qualifying was canceled due to Hurricane Isabel; as a result, Matt Kenseth sat on the pole on owner points. This was the first Cup race for Brian France as the new CEO of NASCAR, having taken over the role from his father Bill France Jr., who stepped down on September 16 due to his ailing health.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, MBNA America 400
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (No. 50), Morgan Shepherd (No. 89), Billy Bigley (No. 79), Scott Wimmer (No. 27), Christian Fittipaldi (No. 44), Tim Sauter (No. 71)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, EA Sports 500
The EA Sports 500 was held September 28, 2003 at Talladega Superspeedway. Elliott Sadler won the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, EA Sports 500
Did not qualify: Jason Leffler (No. 0), Kevin Lepage (No. 4), Steve Park (No. 30), Kyle Petty (No. 45), Mike Bliss (No. 80), Todd Bodine (No. 54)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Banquet 400
The Banquet 400 was held at Kansas Speedway on October 5, 2003. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Banquet 400
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (No. 14), Johnny Sauter (No. 4)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, UAW-GM Quality 500
The UAW-GM Quality 500 was held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 11, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, UAW-GM Quality 500
Failed to qualify: Ken Schrader (No. 49), Hermie Sadler (No. 02), Mark Green (No. 14), Jeff Fultz (No. 55)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Subway 500
The Subway 500 was held at Martinsville Speedway on October 19, 2003. Jeff Gordon sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Subway 500
Failed to qualify: Mark Green (No. 14), Morgan Shepherd (No. 89)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500
The Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 26 – October 27, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500
Failed to qualify: Jeff Green (No. 43), Buckshot Jones (No. 00), Larry Foyt (No. 14), Mike Wallace (No. 09), Billy Bigley (No. 79), Shelby Howard (No. 27)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Checker Auto Parts 500
The Checker Auto Parts 500 was held Phoenix International Raceway on November 2, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Checker Auto Parts 500
Failed to qualify: Derrike Cope (No. 37), Brandon Ash (No. 02)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
The Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was held at North Carolina Speedway on November 9, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole. Matt Kenseth would clinch the final NASCAR Winston Cup Championship.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (No. 02), Tim Sauter (No. 71), Rich Bickle (No. 79)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Ford 400
The Ford 400, the final race of the season, and the last race ever under the "Winston Cup" name were held at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2003. Jamie McMurray sat on the pole.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Races, Ford 400
Failed to qualify: Ken Schrader (No. 49), Kyle Petty (No. 45), Mike Wallace (No. 09), Derrike Cope (No. 79), Rich Bickle (No. 78)


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Final points standings
(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Rookie of the Year
The easy favorite for Rookie of the Year heading was Jamie McMurray, who had won the previous year in just his second start, and he did not disappoint, posting thirteen top-tens and a pole position despite not winning again. Runner-up Greg Biffle finished in the top-25 in the first two races, failed to qualify at Las Vegas, then won the Pepsi 400, while Tony Raines posted just one top ten finish in BACE Motorsports' only full season in Winston Cup.


2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Rookie of the Year
Casey Mears could not finish higher than 15th in his debut season, but has gone on since to garner sixteen top-tens. Former Craftsman Truck Series champion Jack Sprague only lasted eighteen races before being released from his No. 0 ride, while Larry Foyt's best finish in 20 starts was a sixteenth at the season ending race at Homestead. The only other declared candidate, Hideo Fukuyama, dropped out early due to a lack of funding from his BelCar Racing team.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open
The 2003 NASDAQ-100 Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the 19th edition of the Miami Masters and was part of the Tennis Masters Series of the 2003 ATP Tour and of Tier I of the 2003 WTA Tour. Both the men's and women's events took place at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida in the United States from March 17 through March 30, 2003.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open, Finals, Men's Doubles
Roger Federer /  Max Mirnyi defeated  Leander Paes /  David Rikl 7–5, 6–3


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open, Finals, Women's Doubles
Liezel Huber /  Magdalena Maleeva defeated  Shinobu Asagoe /  Nana Miyagi 6–4, 3–6, 7–5


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Men's Doubles
Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor were the defending champions but lost in the quarterfinals to Roger Federer and Max Mirnyi.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Men's Doubles
Federer and Mirnyi won in the final 7–5, 6–3 against Leander Paes and David Rikl.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Men's Singles
Andre Agassi was the two time defending champion and won in the final 6–3, 6–3 against Carlos Moyá.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Men's Singles, Seeds
All thirty-two seeds received a bye to the second round.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Women's Doubles
Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs were the defending champions, but competed this year with different partners. Raymond teamed up with Lindsay Davenport and were eliminated in second round due to a withdrawal, while Stubbs teamed up with Elena Bovina and lost in first round.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Women's Doubles
Liezel Huber and Magdalena Maleeva won the title, defeating Shinobu Asagoe and Nana Miyagi 6–4, 3–6, 7–5 in the final. It was the 5th doubles title for Huber and the 3rd doubles title for Maleeva, in their respective careers.


2003 NASDAQ-100 Open – Women's Singles
Serena Williams was the defending champion, and successfully defended her title, defeating Jennifer Capriati in a rematch of last year’s final, 4–6, 6–4, 6–1.


2003 NBA All-Star Game
The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 9, 2003 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Hawks. This game was the 52nd edition of the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game and was played during the 2002–03 NBA season.


2003 NBA All-Star Game
The West defeated the East 155-145 in double overtime, with Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves winning the Most Valuable Player. Garnett scored 37 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and had 5 steals. Allen Iverson led the East with 35 points.


2003 NBA All-Star Game
This was the first All-Star Game to be transmitted on cable television, through TNT. This was also the 14th and final All-Star Game that Michael Jordan participated in, as a result of his final retirement after the 2002–03 season.


2003 NBA All-Star Game
The 2003 game is the last NBA All-Star Game to be decided in overtime.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Coaches
The coach for the Western Conference team was Sacramento Kings head coach Rick Adelman. The coach for the Eastern Conference team was Indiana Pacers head coach Isiah Thomas. The Pacers had a 34–15 record on February 9.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
The rosters for the All-Star Game were chosen in two ways. The starters were chosen via a fan ballot. Two guards, two forwards and one center who received the highest vote were named the All-Star starters. This was also the first time that the league offered All-Star ballots in three languages — English, Spanish and Chinese — for fan voting of the starters. The reserves were chosen by votes among the NBA head coaches in their respective conferences. The coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. The reserves consist of two guards, two forwards, one center and two players regardless of position. If a player is unable to participate due to injury, the commissioner will select a replacement.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers led the ballots with 1,474,386 votes, which earned him a starting position as a guard in the Western Conference team for the fifth year in a row. Yao Ming, of the Houston Rockets, was the second player with the most votes for the West, becoming the first rookie starter in the All-Star Game since Grant Hill in 1995. Yao was voted to start over Shaquille O'Neal, who was coming off three consecutive NBA Finals MVP Awards, receiving nearly a quarter million more votes than the Lakers center.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
Steve Francis, Kevin Garnett, and Tim Duncan completed the Western Conference starting positions. Bryant, Garnett, Francis, and Duncan were all starters for the previous year's Western Conference team. The Western Conference reserves included one first-time selection, Shawn Marion, of the Phoenix Suns. The team is rounded out by Gary Payton, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Webber, Peja Stojaković, Stephon Marbury, and Shaquille O'Neal. Five teams, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns, had two representations at the All-Star Game with Bryant/O'Neal, Nash/Nowitzki, Francis/Yao, Webber/Stojaković and Marion/Marbury.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
The Eastern Conference's leading vote-getter was Tracy McGrady, who earned his third consecutive All-Star Game selection with 1,316,297 votes. Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Jermaine O'Neal, and Ben Wallace completed the Eastern Conference starting position. This was Wallace's first All-Star selection, as he led the league in rebounding. This was also the fourth consecutive All-Star appearance by Iverson and Carter, and O'Neal's second appearance as an All-Star. The Eastern Conference reserves included three first-time selections, Brad Miller, Jamal Mashburn, and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas. Michael Jordan, Jason Kidd, Paul Pierce, and Antoine Walker rounded out the team. However, Carter relinquished his starting spot to Jordan, so he could start his final All-Star Game. Two teams, Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics, had two representations at the All-Star Game with O'Neal/Miller, and Walker/Pierce.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Roster
Chris Webber was unable to participate due to injury. Peja Stojaković was named as Webber's replacement.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Game
The Western All-Stars won the game 155–145 in double overtime. It seemed the East were on way to a victory when Jordan hit a jump shot to give the East a 138–136 lead with 4.8 seconds remaining in overtime. However, Jermaine O'Neal fouled Kobe Bryant while shooting a three-point field goal with one second remaining. Bryant hit two of the three shots to tie the game, resulting in the first double-overtime in All-Star history. In the second overtime, Kevin Garnett hit three jumpers in the post over a smaller Vince Carter to lead the West to victory. Garnett won the MVP award after scoring a game-high 37 points. It was Jordan's final All-Star game. After declining Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady's offers to give him their starting spot, he accepted Vince Carter's last minute offer.


2003 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Game
The halftime show featured Mariah Carey wearing a dress in the style of Jordan's Wizards jersey who sang the song Hero, alongside a video montage celebrating Jordan's career. 6 1/2 year old Jamia Simone Nash then sang the national anthem. Afterwards, Carey introduced Jordan to a standing ovation from both the West and East all-stars and the crowd. Jordan thanked his former teammates, adversaries, family, and the fans for everything he had achieved in his career, ending with him saying that he can go home and be at peace with the game of basketball.


2003 NBA Finals
The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2002–03 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs played the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs defeated the Nets to win the series 4–2. Spurs' forward Tim Duncan was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series. The series was broadcast on U.S. television on ABC, with Brad Nessler, Bill Walton, and Tom Tolbert announcing.


2003 NBA Finals
The 2003 Finals documentary was narrated by Rodd Houston, who later narrated three other NBA Finals series.


2003 NBA Finals, Background
The 2002–03 season had already started as a memorable one for the San Antonio Spurs, as it was the team's first season in their new arena, the SBC Center. However, as this season was one of beginnings, it was also one of endings. During the season, Spurs star David Robinson announced that it was his last season. The NBA Finals also marked the end of Steve Kerr's career as well—he was on the Spurs, having already won three titles with the Chicago Bulls.


2003 NBA Finals, Background
Over the last few seasons, injuries had slowed down Robinson's productivity to the point where he missed 18 games in his final season while averaging only 8.5 points per game. Nevertheless, Robinson retired holding Spurs' franchise records in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. The Spurs had a very successful season, finishing 60–22, tying for the best record in the NBA that year.


2003 NBA Finals, Background
The playoffs started off shaky for the Spurs as they lost game 1 of the first-round series against the Phoenix Suns in overtime. However, the Spurs bounced back to take the series in 6 games. The second round put the Spurs face-to-face with the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. After splitting the first four games, the Spurs eked out a win in game 5, benefitting from a rare last-second in-and-out miss from the Lakers' clutch-shooter Robert Horry (who helped the Spurs win a title two years later).


2003 NBA Finals, Background
The Spurs eventually disposed of the Lakers in game 6, ending the Lakers' championship run. In the Conference Finals, the Spurs faced their in-state nemesis, the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs started off slow again, losing game 1 by three points, but took control of the series from there, taking the next three straight.


2003 NBA Finals, Background
After losing game 5 at home 103–91, the Spurs came from 15 points down in the fourth quarter in game 6 as Steve Kerr buried four 3-pointers in a row to take the series in six games with a 90–78 win in Dallas, advancing to their second NBA Finals in franchise history.


2003 NBA Finals, Background
In the meantime the New Jersey Nets, who lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, were out to prove that they were serious title contenders, despite the lack of competition in the Eastern Conference. The Nets finished the regular season 49–33, good enough to win the Atlantic Division and clinch the number 2 seed in the East. After splitting the first four games with the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, the Nets took control, winning the series in 6 games.


2003 NBA Finals, Background
From then on, the Nets had no trouble making a return to the NBA Finals, sweeping the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons to win their second straight Eastern Conference championship. With their 49–33 record, the 2003 Nets remain the last team with under 50 wins to reach the NBA Finals.


2003 NBA Finals, Background, Regular season series
Both teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team:


2003 NBA Finals, Series summary
The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage. The NBA, after experimenting in the early years, restored this original format for the Finals in 1985. So far, the other playoff series are still running on a 2–2–1–1–1 site format.


2003 NBA Finals, Series summary
This was the last Finals' series to be played on a Wednesday–Friday–Sunday rotation, which was used starting in 1991 when NBC began carrying the NBA. Starting with the 2004 NBA Finals, all games were played on Thursday–Sunday–Tuesday format until 2016, when it was changed to allow for two days off each time teams traveled.


2003 NBA Finals, Features
While the series received the usual hype of any Finals, it was not heavily anticipated due to the absence of the Lakers, who had won the previous three finals. The Spurs did have a star in Tim Duncan, but at the time he was criticized as being boring compared to flashier players such as Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.


2003 NBA Finals, Features
The series largely centered on the half-court offense and defense of each team, with only one team breaking 100 points in the series. The Nets constantly double-teamed Tim Duncan, often allowing him to find open teammates.


2003 NBA Finals, Features
Nets point guard Jason Kidd, second to Tim Duncan in MVP voting during the 2003 season, was in the last year of his contract with the team, leading to speculation that the Spurs, a team that could afford to sign him, would pursue him in the free agency following the 2003 Finals despite already having future All-Star Tony Parker on the roster. The underlying story of whether or not Kidd would be in a Spurs uniform the following season continued into the off-season. Kidd visited San Antonio and spoke with team officials, but ultimately re-signed with the Nets.


2003 NBA Finals, Features
Perhaps the lasting memory of the series is David Robinson retiring as a champion. In the clinching game 6, Robinson had 13 points and 17 rebounds to complement Tim Duncan on the inside. In that game, the Spurs trailed at one point 72–63 before going on a 19–0 run to put the game away and take the series. Stephen Jackson's three-pointer during the run held the lead permanently. The Spurs' win denied New Jersey from having both NBA and NHL titles in the same year.


2003 NBA Finals, Features
Tim Duncan became the 8th player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award a second time. He joined the list of Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal. In the series-clinching game, Duncan came two blocks shy of a quadruple double in an NBA Finals game, an extremely rare feat, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. Robinson recorded the last quadruple double in NBA history with the Spurs. Duncan and Robinson grabbed 37 rebounds between them, more than the total rebounds of the entire Nets team combined (35).


2003 NBA Finals, Features
Steve Kerr joined Dennis Johnson, Bill Walton, Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper and Robert Horry as the only players to win at least two championships with two franchises. Kerr won three with the Chicago Bulls (1996–98) and another with the Spurs in 1999. Robert Horry won two with the Houston Rockets (1994–95) and three with the LA Lakers (2000–02), and later went on to win two more with the Spurs in 2005 and 2007.


2003 NBA Finals, Aftermath
The Nets had an inconsistent start to the 2003–04 NBA season, and with a 22–20 record early in the season they fired head coach Byron Scott. Lawrence Frank took over and led the Nets to another Atlantic Division title by winning 47 games, highlighted by a 13–0 start, the best start for a rookie head coach in sports history. Despite that, however, the Nets lost to the eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons in seven games of the conference semifinals.


2003 NBA Finals, Aftermath
As of the 2018–19 season, the 2003 Finals remain the Nets' most recent Finals appearance and is their last in New Jersey. The franchise moved to Brooklyn, New York prior to the 2012–13 season. The Nets have also not made the Conference Finals since 2003, having lost five times in the Semifinals, with the last being in 2021.


2003 NBA Finals, Aftermath
Jason Kidd remained with the Nets until he was traded in February 2008 to the team he was originally drafted to, the Dallas Mavericks. Kidd, along with teammate Dirk Nowitzki, led the Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011. Kenyon Martin was sent to the Denver Nuggets after the 2003–04 season, while Richard Jefferson eventually joined the Spurs in the 2009–10 season, after a brief one-year stint with the Milwaukee Bucks. He later won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.


2003 NBA Finals, Aftermath
Despite the departures of Robinson, Jackson and Kerr, the Spurs still managed to win 57 games, aided by Tim Duncan's strong play. However, they were ousted in six games by the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighted by Derek Fisher's game winner with 0.4 seconds left in game 5 of the conference semifinals. In the years following Robinson's retirement, Duncan led the Spurs to three more NBA titles in 2005, 2007 and 2014.


2003 NBA Finals, Television coverage
The 2003 NBA Finals was aired on NBA on ABC. Until 2007, it was the lowest rated finals in NBA history.


2003 NBA Finals, Television coverage
This was also the only year that ABC broadcast both the NBA and the Stanley Cup Finals that involved teams playing in the same arena during each series. During ABC's broadcast of game 3, Brad Nessler, Tom Tolbert, and Bill Walton said that ABC was in a unique situation getting ready for both that game and game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Devils and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim the following night. Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson mentioned this the following night and thanked Nessler, Tolbert, and Walton for promoting NHL on ABC's broadcast of game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.


2003 NBA draft
The 2003 NBA draft was held on June 26, 2003, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The NBA announced that 41 college and high school players and a record 31 international players had filed as early-entry candidates for the 2003 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had a 22.50 percent probability of obtaining the first selection, won the NBA draft lottery on May 22, and Cleveland chairman Gordon Gund said afterward his team would select LeBron James. The Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets were second and third, respectively. This draft was the first draft to be aired on ESPN after they picked up the license from TNT.


2003 NBA draft
The 2003 draft is known for having one of the most talented draft pools in draft history. The draft contained fifteen players who combined for twenty-six championships. Four of the top five picks are NBA All-Stars and "Redeem Team" Olympic Gold Medalists: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. Many players have been in the starting line-ups of their respective teams; nine have participated in an All-Star Game, Dwyane Wade was named NBA Finals MVP in 2006 and won NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006 as well as the NBA All Star Game MVP in 2010.


2003 NBA draft
Boris Diaw won the Most Improved Player Award in 2006, Jason Kapono won the three point shootout back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008, James Jones won the three point shootout in 2011, Leandro Barbosa won the Sixth Man Award in 2007, Kyle Korver set the NBA record for three point shooting percentage in 2010 (53.6%), and in the 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013 seasons, LeBron James won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and the NBA Finals MVP in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020.


2003 NBA draft
Carmelo Anthony won the 2013 NBA Scoring Title and was the only player in NBA history to win at least three Olympic gold medals until Kevin Durant won his third one in 2021. Zaza Pachulia and David West won NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Matt Bonner won NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and 2014. Dahntay Jones and Mo Williams won the NBA championship in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.


2003 NBA draft
Luke Walton won three NBA championships, two as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and one as an assistant coach with the Warriors in 2015. Chris Bosh left Toronto in 2010 as its all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double doubles, free throws made and attempted, and minutes played.


2003 NBA draft
The 2003 draft class has drawn comparisons to the 1984 and 1996 NBA draft classes, but is also known for the Detroit Pistons having made the selection of Darko Miličić with the second pick, over other prospects who went on to have much more success in the league. Out of the entire draft, only Nick Collison has played his entire career for the team that drafted him and also retired his number. As of 2021, the only remaining active players from the 2003 draft class are LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.


2003 NBA draft, Draft selections
^ a: Chris Kaman was born in the United States, but also has German citizenship through his great-grandparents and competes internationally for Germany.


2003 NBA draft, Notable undrafted players
These players were not selected in the 2003 NBA draft, but have played at least one game in the NBA.


2003 NBA playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2002–03 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets, 4 games to 2, in the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.


2003 NBA playoffs
This postseason featured the most series decided by 6 games in NBA Playoff history.


2003 NBA playoffs
This postseason is notable for being the first time since 1974 that all series were conducted in a best-of-seven format; From 1984 to 2002, the first-round series were best-of-five. It is also notable as the only time the conference quarterfinal round did not include any series sweeps.


2003 NBA playoffs
This is the first time that the NBA Playoffs carried more games on cable television than regular broadcast television, and marks the debut for the NBA Playoffs to be aired on NBA TV, and the return broadcast on ESPN and ABC after the NBA departed from NBC and TBS.


2003 NBA playoffs
The Detroit Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars-led team was swept by the Chicago Bulls in 1991, ending the Pistons' quest for a third consecutive title. The Pistons would go on to appear in six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals through 2008, the most consecutive appearances for any Eastern Conference team since the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics (1956–69).


2003 NBA playoffs
The Dallas Mavericks ended a long conference finals drought by making it there for the first time since 1988.


2003 NBA playoffs
As of 2020, the 49-win Nets are the most recent NBA Finals participant to win fewer than 50 games in an 82-game season.


2003 NBA playoffs
The Boston Celtics were swept in a postseason series for the first time since 1983.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
The Pistons became the 7th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Magic winning the first meeting.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (2) New Jersey Nets vs. (7) Milwaukee Bucks
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first two meetings.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Boston Celtics
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first two meetings.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) New Orleans Hornets
This was the first playoff meeting between the 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets franchise.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Phoenix Suns
In Game 1, after Amar'e Stoudemire banks in a game-tying 3 with 7.9 seconds left in regulation, Stephon Marbury hits the game-winning 3 at the buzzer in OT.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Phoenix Suns
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first five meetings.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (2) Sacramento Kings vs. (7) Utah Jazz
Game 5 is John Stockton's final NBA game. It was also Karl Malone's last game in Utah as he joined the Los Angeles Lakers during the following offseason.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (2) Sacramento Kings vs. (7) Utah Jazz
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Dallas Mavericks vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers became the third NBA team to force a Game 7 after being down 0–3.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Dallas Mavericks vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first two meetings.


2003 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (4) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
This was the first playoff meeting between the Lakers and the Timberwolves.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (4) Philadelphia 76ers
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning the first meeting, which occurred when the Nationals/76ers franchise were in Syracuse and the Pistons franchise were in Fort Wayne.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) New Jersey Nets vs. (6) Boston Celtics
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nets winning the first meeting.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first eight meetings.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (2) Sacramento Kings vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Kings winning the first meeting.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (2) New Jersey Nets
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks
Steve Kerr puts on a shooting performance for the ages connecting on 4 3-pointers closing out Dallas in game 6. Dirk Nowitzki missed the final three games with a knee injury.


2003 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning the first meeting.


2003 NBA playoffs, NBA Finals (W1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (E2) New Jersey Nets
This was the first NBA playoff meeting between the Nets and the Spurs. As members of the ABA, both teams met in the 1976 ABA Semifinals, where the Nets won 4–3.


2003 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2003 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Chuck Amato. N.C. State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since the league's inception in 1953. The Wolfpack played its home games in 2003 at Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, which has been NC State football's home stadium since 1966.


2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament was held May 30 through June 23, 2003. Sixty-four NCAA Division I college baseball teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament, to play in the NCAA Tournament. The tournament culminated with 8 teams in the College World Series at historic Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.


2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
ESPN, which held the rights to the College World Series, began televising super regional games in 2003. As part of the contract with ESPN, four super regionals would begin on Friday and run through Sunday, while the other four super regionals would begin Saturday and run through Monday.


2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
The 2003 College World Series saw a format change and the championship was decided by a best-of-three series. From 1950 through 1987, the College World Series was a true double elimination tournament. From 1988 through 2002, there were two double elimination pools, with the winner of each facing off in a one game championship.


2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
In the 2003 championship series, Rice defeated Stanford two games to one. John Hudgins became the 16th player to win the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Award from a losing team.


2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Bids, Automatic Bids
Conference champions from 30 Division I conferences earned automatic bids to regionals. The remaining 34 spots were awarded to schools as at-large invitees.


2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Regionals and super regionals, Houston Super Regional
The Houston Super Regional was hosted by Rice at Reckling Park.


2003 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The 2003 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships were the 65th annual NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship and the 23rd annual NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship to determine the team and individual national champions of NCAA Division I men's and women's collegiate cross country running in the United States. In all, four different titles were contested: men's and women's individual and team championships.


2003 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
Held on November 24, 2003, the combined meet was hosted by the University of Northern Iowa at Irv Warren Golf Course in Waterloo, Iowa, near UNI's campus in Cedar Falls. The distance for the men's race was 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) while the distance for the women's race was 6 kilometers (3.73 miles).


2003 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The men's team championship was again won by Stanford (24 points), the Cardinal's second consecutive and fourth overall. This was the second best score in NCAA history and the lowest by a team of entirely American runners. UTEP's 17 point win in 1981 was accomplished with a team of African runners. Stanford placed 6 runners in the top 13 places. The women's team championship was also won by Stanford (120 points), the Cardinal's second and first since 1996. This was the third time that the same university won both team titles; Stanford accomplished this feat in 1996 and Wisconsin captured both in 1985.


2003 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The two individual champions were, for the men, Dathan Ritzenhein (Colorado, 29:14.1) and, for the women, Shalane Flanagan (North Carolina, 19:30.4). It was Flanagan's second consecutive title.


2003 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship
The 2003 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship was the 23rd women's collegiate field hockey tournament organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to determine the top college field hockey team in the United States. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons won their second championship, defeating the Duke Blue Devils in the final. The semifinals and championship were hosted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst at Richard F. Garber Field in Amherst, Massachusetts.


2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships
The 2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships were contested to determine the individual and team national champions of men's and women's NCAA collegiate indoor track and field events in the United States after the 2002–03 season, the 39th annual meet for men and 21st annual meet for women.


2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships
For the fourth consecutive year, the championships were held at the Randal Tyson Track Center at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas.


2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships
Arkansas won the men's title, the Razorbacks' seventeenth and first since 2000.


2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships
Defending champions LSU won the women's title, the Lady Tigers' tenth.


2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, Qualification
All teams and athletes from Division I indoor track and field programs were eligible to compete for this year's individual and team titles.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game was the finals of the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament and it determined the national champion for the 2002-03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season  The 2003 National Title Game was played on April 7, 2003 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, The 2003 National Title Game was played between the 2003 West Regional Champions, #2-seeded Kansas and the 2003 East Regional Champions, #3-seeded Syracuse.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Participants, Syracuse
Things did not start well for Syracuse. Guards DeShaun Williams and James Thues both left the team. Williams transferred to Iona while Thues left for Detroit. Freshman point guard Billy Edelin was suspended for 12 games for participating in a non-sanctioned basketball league. Syracuse then started its season with a loss against Memphis, despite Carmelo Anthony's 27 points, a then-high for a Syracuse freshman debut.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Participants, Syracuse
But things turned around, as Syracuse went 13–3 in the Big East, with several memorable wins. Gerry McNamara would establish himself as a clutch player, nailing a game-winning 3-pointer as then-No. 17 Syracuse notched an 82–80 win over then-No. 10 Notre Dame in February. In an upset of then-No. 24 Syracuse over then-No. 2 Pittsburgh, McNeil, a career 49.1% free throw shooter, hit two key free throws, and added a game-winning tip in a 67–65 upset.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Participants, Syracuse
The Orangemen would play five Big 12 teams throughout the year, including games against Missouri in the regular season, and against Oklahoma (Elite Eight), Oklahoma State (second round), Texas (National Semifinal) and then Kansas (National Championship game).


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Participants, Kansas
Kansas would get off to a rough start as they lost both games in the championship round of the 2002 Preseason NIT to North Carolina and #7 Florida. After dropping a game to #7 Oregon at the Rose Garden, Kansas would go on a 10-game winning streak which was highlighted by home victories over UCLA and Kansas State.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Participants, Kansas
Kansas then would suffer two consecutive losses to Colorado and #1 Arizona and would then go on a seven-game winning streak which included victories over #3 Texas, #21 Missouri Tigers men's basketball, and Kansas State, but that streak would end with a loss at #5 Oklahoma. Kansas would win their final four games of the regular season which was highlighted by  victories over #16 Oklahoma State and Missouri. Kansas would win one game in the Big 12 Tournament before losing to Missouri in the semifinals.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Participants, Kansas
Kansas would get off to a slow start in the NCAA Tournament as they barely beat Utah State in the 1st round, but would catch fire during the rest of the NCAA tournament as they romped Arizona State in the 2nd round and would beat Duke and Arizona (avenging a loss from earlier this season) to reach the Final Four and would romp Marquette in the National Semifinals to reach the 2003 National Championship Game.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Game Summary
Leading up to the championship game, much of the conversation revolved around how, no matter the outcome, one of the well-known head coaches would win their first championship. In Jim Boeheim's 27 years as head coach at Syracuse his team had been to two Final Fours, and finished runner-up each time (1987, 1996). Roy Williams, during his fifteen seasons as Kansas head coach, had reached the Final Four four times, and finished runner up once (1991). Syracuse dominated with a hot shooting first half to lead by 11 at the break.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, Game Summary
Gerry McNamara connected on an impressive six three-pointers in the half, which were his 18 points for the game. Kansas fought back to within 80-78 in the final minute and had a chance to tie after Hakim Warrick missed a pair of free throws in the final moments. Warrick, however, then blocked Michael Lee's three point attempt with 0.7 seconds remaining on the game clock. After Kirk Hinrich's three-pointer at the buzzer went over the net, Syracuse's victory gave them, and Jim Boeheim, their first ever national championship. Carmelo Anthony was named Most Outstanding Player (MOP) with 21 points in the win. Syracuse also avenged a second-round loss to Kansas two years earlier.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Superdome. A total of 64 games were played.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
The Final Four consisted of Kansas, making their second straight appearance, Marquette, making their first appearance since they won the national championship in 1977, Syracuse, making their first appearance since 1996, and Texas, making their first appearance since 1947. Texas was the only top seed to advance to the Final Four; the other three (Arizona, Kentucky, and Oklahoma) advanced as far as the Elite Eight but fell.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
Syracuse won their first national championship in three tries under Jim Boeheim, defeating Kansas 81–78 in what would be Roy Williams' final game as head coach of the team; he would depart to become the head coach at North Carolina, a position he held before retiring after the 2020–2021 season.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
Syracuse beat four Big 12 teams on its way to the title: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. Those victories helped earn Boeheim the national title that had eluded him in 1987 and 1996.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Schedule and venues
The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 2003 tournament:


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Schedule and venues
New Orleans was the Final Four host city for the fourth time, and the first time since 1993. There were three new venues, only one of which was in a new host city. For the first time, the tournament came to Spokane, Washington and the Spokane Arena. Previous games in eastern Washington had been played on the campus of Washington State University, who was host of the games despite the arena being the alternate home court for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Schedule and venues
The tournament returned to Oklahoma City in 2003, to the then-new Ford Center, which replaced the Cox Convention Center across the street as the city's major arena. And for the first time since 1983, the tournament returned to the city of Tampa at the St. Pete Times Forum, home to the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. The tournament had been held across Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg three times between appearances in Tampa. To date, this is the last tournament to feature what is now known as the Times Union Center in Albany; however, the tournament was scheduled to return to New York's state capital in 2020 prior to its cancellation; the tournament is now scheduled to return to Albany in 2023.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Broadcast information
Originally, CBS Sports was to have shown all 63 games of the tournament following the opening round, which was on ESPN. However, because of the start of the Iraq War the night before, the afternoon games on Thursday and Friday were moved to ESPN while retaining CBS graphics and production. CBS News then joined other broadcast and non-broadcast outlets in showing extended news coverage.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Broadcast information
Thursday and Friday night's games were shown on CBS, albeit with frequent news updates. To make up for lost advertising revenue, an additional time slot was opened the following Sunday evening for more CBS telecasts.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Broadcast information
2003 also marked the debut of Mega March Madness as an exclusive package on DirecTV. This offered additional game broadcasts not available to the viewer's home market during the first three rounds of the tournament. All games from the 4th round (Elite Eight) onward were national telecasts.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship was a golf tournament contested May 27–30, 2003, at the Karsten Creek Golf Course in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It was the 65th NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship. The team championship was won by the Clemson Tigers, their first, who won by two strokes over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The individual national championship was won by Alejandro Cañizares from Arizona State.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship, Regional qualifying tournaments
Three regional qualifying tournaments were held May 15–17. The ten teams with the lowest team scores from each regional qualified for both the team and individual national championships. The top two individuals in each regional whose teams did not qualify also qualified for the individual national championship.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship, Venue
This was the first NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship held at Karsten Creek in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The course would also host the 2011 championship.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament involved 16 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's  NCAA Division I college ice hockey. The tournament began on March 28, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 12. A total of 15 games were played. 2003 was the first year 16 teams were invited to the tournament and was the first expansion of the tournament since 1988 when it increased from eight to 12 teams. The first and second rounds of the 2003 tournament were divided across four regional sites, an increase from the two regional format in place since 1992.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
Minnesota became the first team to successfully defend their title since Boston University won back-to-back titles in 1971 and 1972.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, Game locations
The NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship is a single-elimination tournament featuring 16 teams representing all six Division I conferences in the nation. The Championship Committee seeds the entire field from 1 to 16 within four regionals of 4 teams. The winners of the six Division I conference championships receive automatic bids to participate in the NCAA Championship. Regional placements are based primarily on the home location of the top seed in each bracket with an attempt made to put the top-ranked teams close to their home site.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, Qualifying teams
The at-large bids and seeding for each team in the tournament was announced on March 23, 2003. The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) had five teams receive a berth in the tournament, Hockey East had four teams receive a berth in the tournament, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) had three teams receive a berth in the tournament, the ECAC had two berths, while both the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and College Hockey America (CHA) received one bid for their tournament champions.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 33rd annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Sixteen NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament. The championship game was played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland in front of 37,944 fans, The University of Virginia won the championship title with a 9–7 win over top-ranked Johns Hopkins. The Cavaliers, led by A.J. Shannon, Chris Rotelli and Matt Ward, won their third NCAA championship.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
UVA was able to hang on after an 8–5 lead to close out the 3rd quarter. Rotelli led all scorers with one goal and four assists in the finals for UVA, while Kyle Barrie led Hopkins with one goal and one assist. Virginia Goalie Tillman Johnson though was probably the unsung hero of the contest with 13 saves in the game for a .650 save percentage. He was named the Most Outstanding Player for this tournament. UVA closed out the season with a 15 and 2 record and Johnson closed out his career as Virginia's all-time leader in saves with 204.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament
2003 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament was a tournament of 48 teams from NCAA Division I across the nation who played for the NCAA Championship. This year's College Cup Final Four was held at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. All the other games were played at the home field of the higher seeded. The final was held on December 14, 2003. St. John's, Maryland, Santa Clara, and Indiana qualified for the Final Four. St. John's defeated Maryland, and Indiana beat Santa Clara. In the final Indiana defeated St. John's, 2–1.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament
The tournament started on November 21, 2003. The first round was played on November 21 and 22. The second round on the November 26, and the third round on the November 29-30. The Regional Finals were played on December 5-7.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships were contested in March 2003 at the Texas Swimming Center at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas at the 80th annual NCAA-sanctioned swim meet to determine the team and individual national champions of Division I men's collegiate swimming and diving in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
Auburn topped the team standings, the Tigers' third men's title.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships
The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships were the 57th annual tournaments to determine the national champions of NCAA Division I men's singles, doubles, and team collegiate tennis in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships
Illinois defeated Vanderbilt in the championship final, 4–3, to claim their first national title. This helped the Illini complete a sweep of all three NCAA tennis championships for the year: team, singles, and doubles.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships, Host sites
This year's tournaments were played at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.


2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships, Host sites
The men's and women's tournaments would not be held at the same site until 2006.


2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The 2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships were contested at the 82nd annual NCAA-sanctioned track meet to determine the individual and team champions of men's and women's Division I collegiate outdoor track and field in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships
This year's meet, the 22nd edition with men's and women's events held concurrently, was contested June 11–14, 2003 at Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State University in Sacramento, California.


2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Arkansas won the men's title, the Razorbacks' tenth title and first since winning eight consecutive titles between 1992 and 1999.


2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships
LSU won the women's title, the Lady Tigers' then-record thirteenth championship and first since 2000.


2003 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament was the twenty-second annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 2003, sixty-four Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of eight teams, each in a double elimination format. The 2003 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 22 through May 25 and marked the conclusion of the 2003 NCAA Division I softball season. UCLA won their tenth NCAA championship and eleventh overall by defeating California 1–0 in the final game. UCLA pitcher Keira Goerl was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.


2003 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament, Women's College World Series, Participants
†: Excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1981.


2003 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament, Women's College World Series, Bracket, Game Results
California forces the If Necessary Game (Game 13), and will be designated as the visiting team for that game.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament began on March 22, 2003, and concluded on April 8, 2003, when the Connecticut Huskies (UConn) won their second straight national title. The Final Four was held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia on April 6–8, 2003. UConn, coached by Geno Auriemma, defeated archrival Tennessee, coached by Pat Summitt, 73–68 in the championship game. UConn's Diana Taurasi was named Most Outstanding Player.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament
This was the first year of a new format, in which the final game is held on the Tuesday following the men's championship, in contrast to prior years, when it was held on Sunday evening, between the men's semi-final and final. The game now is the final game of the Division 1 collegiate basketball season.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Qualifying teams – automatic
Sixty-four teams were selected to participate in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Thirty-one conferences were eligible for an automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA tournament.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Qualifying teams – at-large
Thirty-three additional teams were selected to complete the sixty-four invitations.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Bids by conference
Thirty-one conferences earned an automatic bid. In twenty-two cases, the automatic bid was the only representative from the conference. Thirty-three additional at-large teams were selected from nine of the conferences.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, First and second rounds
In 2003, the field remained at 64 teams. The teams were seeded, and assigned to four geographic regions, with seeds 1–16 in each region. In Round 1, seeds 1 and 16 faced each other, as well as seeds 2 and 15, seeds 3 and 14, seeds 4 and 13, seeds 5 and 12, seeds 6 and 11, seeds 7 and 10, and seeds 8 and 9. In 2003, a change was implemented in the way first and second round sites were determined. From 1982 (the year of the first NCAA women's basketball tournament) through 2002, the first rounds sites were offered to the top seeds. Starting in 2003, sixteen sites for the first two rounds were determined approximately a year before the team selections and seedings were completed.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, First and second rounds
The following table lists the region, host school, venue and the sixteen first and second round locations:


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Regionals and Final Four
The Regionals, named for the general location, were held from March 22 to March 25 at these sites:


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Regionals and Final Four
Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four held April 6 and April 8 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome, (Host: Georgia Institute of Technology)


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Bids by state
The sixty-four teams came from thirty-two states, plus Washington, D.C. Virginia had the most teams with five bids. Eighteen states did not have any teams receiving bids.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, Record by conference
Nineteen conferences went 0–1: America East, Atlantic Sun Conference, Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Colonial, Ivy League, MAAC, MAC, Mid-Continent, MEAC, Missouri Valley Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference, Southland, SWAC, Sun Belt Conference, and West Coast Conference


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship
The 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships were contested at the 22nd annual NCAA-sanctioned golf tournament to determine the individual and team national champions of women's Division I collegiate golf in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship
The tournament was held at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Indiana.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship
The 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship was the 22nd annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of Division I NCAA women's college lacrosse. The championship game was played at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York during May 2003. All NCAA Division I women's lacrosse programs were eligible for this championship. A total of 16 teams were invited to participate.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship
Princeton defeated Virginia, 8–7 (in overtime), to win their third overall, and second consecutive, national championship.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship
The leading scorer for the tournament was Lauren Aumiller from Virginia (21 goals). Rachel Becker, from Princeton, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament (also known as the 2003 Women's College Cup) was the 22nd annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA Division I women's collegiate soccer. The semifinals and championship game were played at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina from December 5–7, 2003.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament
Top seeded North Carolina defeated unranked Connecticut in the final, 6–0, to win their seventeenth national title. The undefeated Tar Heels (27–0) were coached by Anson Dorrance. The Tar Heels dominated their competition on their way to the championship, winning all six of their games by a combined score of 32–0.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament
The Most Outstanding Offensive Player was Heather O'Reilly from North Carolina, and the Most Outstanding Defensive Player was Catherine Reddick, also from North Carolina. O'Reilly and Reddick, along with nine other players, were named to the All-Tournament Team. O'Reilly was also the tournament's leading scorer, with 8 goals. The championship referee was Brian Kirkley from Atlanta, GA.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament, Qualification
All Division I women's soccer programs were eligible to qualify for the tournament. The tournament field remained fixed at 64 teams.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament, Format
Just as before, the final two rounds, deemed the Women's College Cup, were played at a pre-determined neutral site. All other rounds were played on campus sites at the home field of the higher-seeded team. The only exceptions were the first two rounds, which were played at regional campus sites. The top sixteen teams, all of which were seeded for the first time ever, hosted four team-regionals on their home fields during the tournament's first weekend.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships
The 2003 NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championships were contested at the 22nd annual NCAA-sanctioned swim meet to determine the team and individual national champions of Division I women's collegiate swimming and diving in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships
This year's events were hosted by Auburn University at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center in Auburn, Alabama.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships
Defending champions Auburn once again topped the team standings, finishing 163 points ahead of Georgia. This was the Tigers' second women's team title.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships
The 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships were the 22nd annual championships to determine the national champions of NCAA Division I women's singles, doubles, and team collegiate tennis in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships
Hosts Florida defeated two-time defending champions Stanford in the team final, 4–3, to claim their fourth national title.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships, Host
This year's tournaments were hosted by the University of Florida at the Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Florida.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships, Host
The men's and women's NCAA tennis championships would not be held jointly until 2006.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament began on December 4, 2003 with 64 teams and ended December 18 when Southern California defeated Florida 3 games to 1 in Dallas, Texas for the program's third NCAA title and sixth national title overall.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament
It was Southern California's second consecutive NCAA title. The team capped off the 2003 season undefeated at 35-0, becoming the third team in NCAA history to accomplish the feat, the first repeat NCAA national champion to go undefeated, and the first team in the NCAA era to be ranked #1 in the coaches poll for the entire season.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament
Florida made the school's first national championship match in the program's seventh final four appearance. Minnesota also made the program's first NCAA final four appearance.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament, Records
Three teams in the 2003 NCAA Volleyball Tournament qualified with either 0 or 1 losses: USC (29-0), Hawaii (32-1), and Florida (31-1). It is the most recent tournament to feature at least three such teams.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament, National Semifinals, Southern California vs. Minnesota
Minnesota, making their first NCAA Final Four appearance in program history, played top-seeded USC tough in the first two sets, falling 30-27, 30-28. USC rode the momentum in the third set, winning easily 30-20 to advance to the national championship match for the second consecutive year. USC's balanced attack consisted off three players with double digit kills, including Bibiana Candelas with 12, Keao Burdine with 13 and April Ross with 11. Minnesota was led by Cassie Busse with 23 kills and Erin Martin with 11.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament, National Semifinals, Florida vs. Hawaiʻi
Florida and Hawaiʻi battled in the second semifinal, with Florida looking to advance to their first final in school history after being 0-for-6 in previous NCAA semifinals, while Hawaiʻi was looking to advance to their first final since 1996.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament, National Semifinals, Florida vs. Hawaiʻi
Both teams played even in the first two games, but it was Florida who won them by the scores of 30-28, 30-28. Hawaiʻi answered back after the break to win 30-23. The 30-23 loss was the first individual game the Gators lost since August 23, breaking their NCAA record of 105 straight game wins. Florida and Hawaiʻi once again played even in the fourth set, but Hawaiʻi was unable to force a fifth set as Florida won the fourth set, 30-28. Hawaiʻi was paced by AVCA National Player of the Year Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku who both had 21 kills.


2003 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament, National Championship: Southern California vs. Florida
Florida started out the match well by winning the first set off of undefeated Southern California. USC answered back by taking the second set 30-27 and used a 6-0 run in the third set to win easily, 30-19. In the fourth set, USC never trailed and led 22-15 before Florida mounted a comeback to cut USC's lead to 25-23. USC did not let up and won the fourth and final set 30-26 to cap off an undefeated season at 35-0. Florida ended their season at 36-2 with their only other loss coming to USC in the season opening AVCA Showcase tournament.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball rankings
The following polls make up the 2003 NCAA Division I baseball rankings. USA Today and ESPN began publishing the Coaches' Poll of 31 active coaches ranking the top 25 teams in the nation in 1992. Each coach is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association. Baseball America began publishing its poll of the top 20 teams in college baseball in 1981. Beginning with the 1985 season, it expanded to the top 25. Collegiate Baseball Newspaper published its first human poll of the top 20 teams in college baseball in 1957, and expanded to rank the top 30 teams in 1961.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball rankings, USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll
Currently, only the final poll from the 2003 season is available.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball rankings, Baseball America
Currently, only the final poll from the 2003 season is available.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball rankings, Collegiate Baseball
The preseason poll ranked the top 40. Teams not listed above were: 31. Kent State 32. Stetson 33. Georgia 34. North Carolina 35. Texas Tech 36. East Carolina 37. Southern 38. FIU 39. Oklahoma State 40. Auburn


2003 NCAA Division I baseball season
The 2003 NCAA Division I baseball season, play of college baseball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began on January 16, 2003. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament and 2003 College World Series. The College World Series, which consisted of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament, was held in its annual location of Omaha, Nebraska at Rosenblatt Stadium. It concluded on June 23, 2003, with the final game of the best-of-three championship series, the first such championship series used at the College World Series. Rice defeated Stanford two games to one to claim its first championship.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball season, Realignment, New programs
Three programs joined Division I prior to the 2003 season– Gardner-Webb, which had been a provisional member; Savannah State, which had been a Division II independent; and IPFW, which had been a provisional member.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball season, Realignment, Conference changes
Sacramento State, which had been a member of the Big West Conference, became a Division I independent.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball season, Realignment, Conference formats
Bowling Green, which had played in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference, moved to the West Division.


2003 NCAA Division I baseball season, College World Series
The 2003 season marked the fifty seventh NCAA Baseball Tournament, which culminated with the eight team College World Series. The College World Series was held in Omaha, Nebraska. The eight teams played a double-elimination format, with Rice claiming their first championship with a two games to one series win over Stanford in the final.


2003 NCAA Division I softball season
The 2003 NCAA Division I softball season, play of college softball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began in January 2003. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament and 2003 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament and held in Oklahoma City at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, ended on May 26, 2003.


2003 NCAA Division I softball season, Women's College World Series
The 2003 NCAA Women's College World Series took place from May 22 to May 26, 2003 in Oklahoma City.


2003 NCAA Division I softball season, Records
Sophomore class single game RBIs:11 – Stephanie Best, UCF Knights & Jackie Coburn, Arizona Wildcats; March 19 & May 10, 2003


2003 NCAA Division I softball season, Records
Sophomore class strikeout ratio:14.1 (488 SO/242.2 IP) – Cat Osterman, Texas Longhorns


2003 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Two human polls and one formulaic ranking make up the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), does not bestow a National Championship title for Division I-A football. That title is primarily bestowed by different polling agencies. There are several polls that currently exist. The main weekly polls are the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. About halfway through the season the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings are released.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football rankings, BCS Standings
The Bowl Championship Series determined the two teams that competed in the BCS National Championship Game, the 2004 Sugar Bowl.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in the claim of a split national championship. This was the first claimed split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
At season's end, three BCS Automatic Qualifying (AQ) conference teams finished the regular season with one loss, with only two spots available in the BCS National Championship Game. Three BCS Non-Automatic Qualifying (Non-AQ) conference teams also finished with one loss, TCU, Boise State and Miami (OH), stirring the debate of the BCS being unfair to BCS Non-AQ conference teams.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
LSU defeated Oklahoma in the 2004 Sugar Bowl, securing the BCS National Championship, as the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll was contractually obligated to vote the winner of the BCS National Championship Game No. 1, although three coaches violated this agreement by keeping USC atop their ballots. Meanwhile, when AP No. 1 USC beat (number 5) Michigan in the 2004 Rose Bowl, the AP voters kept USC in the top spot.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
Army became the first team in NCAA Division I-A football modern history to finish the season 0–13.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award sponsored by ESPN chose USC coach Pete Carroll as their award recipient, while the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, voted on by an association of sportswriters, chose LSU coach Nick Saban.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The Orange Bowl game was noteworthy in that Miami and Florida State previously had scheduled to play each other on Labor Day in 2004 in Miami's first game as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Playing in the Orange Bowl ensured that their next meeting would be each of their very next games and their first of the 2004 season.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, BCS selection process controversy
USC had lost in triple overtime at California on September 27, LSU lost at home to Florida on October 11, and Oklahoma, which had been No. 1 in every BCS rating, AP and Coaches' Poll of the season, lost to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game, 35–7 on December 6. Although USC, then 11–1, finished ranked No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls, with LSU (12–1) ranked No. 2 and Oklahoma (12–1) No. 3, Oklahoma surpassed both USC and LSU on several BCS computer factors.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, BCS selection process controversy
Oklahoma's schedule strength was ranked 11th to LSU's 29th and USC's 37th. Oklahoma's schedule rank was 0.44 to LSU's 1.16 and USC's 1.48. As such, despite the timing of Oklahoma's loss affecting the human voters, the computers kept Oklahoma at No. 1 in the BCS poll. LSU was ranked No. 2 by the BCS based on its No. 2 ranking in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll, 6 of 7 computer rankings (with the remaining one ranking them No. 1), and strength of schedule calculations. USC's No. 3 BCS ranking resulted from it being ranked No. 1 the AP and Coaches Poll, but No. 3 in 5 of 7 computer rankings (with the 2 remaining computer rankings at No. 1 and No. 4) and schedule strength, though separated by only 0.16 points.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, BCS selection process controversy
Ted Waitt, CEO of Gateway Computers, offered the NCAA $31 million for a national championship game between USC and Louisiana State.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Rules changes
The NCAA Rules Committee adopted the following rules changes for the 2003 season:


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Conference and program changes
No teams upgraded from Division I-AA, leaving the number of Division I-A schools fixed at 117.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Regular season top 10 matchups
Rankings reflect the AP Poll. Rankings for Week 8 and beyond will list BCS Rankings first and AP Poll second. Teams that failed to be a top 10 team for one poll or the other will be noted.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Bowl games
Rankings given are AP poll positions at time of game


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Final AP Poll
Others receiving votes: 26. Oklahoma State 109, 27. Arkansas 73, 28. Virginia 36, 29. Northern Illinois 30, 30. Auburn 8, 30. Oregon State 8, 32. Pittsburgh 7, 32. N.C. State 7, 34. West Virginia 4, 35. Connecticut 2.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Final Coaches Poll
Three coaches voted for USC as the No. 1 team, even though the polled coaches are required to vote the BCS champion as No. 1. Because the votes were not public, it is not known which three coaches placed those votes. However, it is known that USC coach Pete Carroll could not have voted for his own team since he was not a voting coach that season.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Final Coaches Poll
Northern Illinois (10–2) 80; Arkansas (9–4) 74; Oklahoma State (9–4) 63; Auburn (8–5) 20; North Carolina State (8–5) 17; Oregon State (8–5) 15; West Virginia (8–5) 14; Southern Mississippi (9–4) 12; Fresno State (9–5) 6; Hawaii (9–5) 6; Pittsburgh (8–5) 5; Texas Tech (8–5) 4; Marshall (8–4) 3; Virginia (8–5) 3; Boston College (8–5) 2; California (8–6) 1; Connecticut (9–3) 1; Memphis (9–4) 1; Michigan State Spartans (8–5) 1; Missouri (8–5) 1; North Texas (9–4) 1.


2003 NCAA Division I-A football season, Heisman Trophy voting
The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding player of the year


2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game
The 2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and the Colgate Raiders. The game was played on December 19, 2003, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Delaware, 40–0.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game, Teams
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2003 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game, Teams, Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens
Delaware finished their regular season with an 11–1 record (8–1 in conference). Their only loss was to Northeastern, while one of their wins was over Navy of Division I-A. The Fightin' Blue Hens, seeded second in the tournament, defeated Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, and third-seed Wofford to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Delaware in a Division I-AA championship game, having lost in 1982.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game, Teams, Colgate Raiders
Colgate finished their regular season with a 12–0 record (7–0 in conference). The Raiders, seeded fourth in the tournament, defeated UMass, Western Illinois, and Florida Atlantic to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Colgate in a Division I-AA championship game.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings
The 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings are from the Sports Network poll of Division I-AA head coaches, athletic directors, sports information directors and media members. This is for the 2003 season.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 2003, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 19, 2003, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens won their first I-AA championship, defeating the Colgate Raiders by a final score of 40−0.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, Conference champions
Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware and UMassBig Sky Conference – Montana, Montana State, and Northern Arizona Big South Conference – Gardner-WebbGateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa and Southern IllinoisIvy League – PennMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference – DuquesneMid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&TNortheast Conference – Albany (NY) and MonmouthOhio Valley Conference – Jacksonville StatePatriot League – ColgatePioneer Football League – ValparaisoSouthern Conference – WoffordSouthland Conference – McNeese StateSouthwestern Athletic Conference – Southern


2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, Postseason, NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket
The top four teams in the tournament were seeded; seeded teams were assured of hosting games in the first two rounds.


2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season, Postseason, NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket
* By team name denotes host institution* By score denotes overtime period(s)


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament was the 47th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament
Officially culminating the 2002–03 NCAA Division II men's basketball season, the tournament featured, for the first time, sixty-four teams from around the country.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament
The Elite Eight, national semifinals, and championship were played, for the first time, at the Lakeland Center in Lakeland, Florida.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament
Northeastern State (32–3) defeated Kentucky Wesleyan in the final, 75–64, to win their first Division II national championship.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament
It was concurrently Kentucky Wesleyan's sixth straight appearance in the title game (winning in 1999 and 2001), although this appearance, along with that from 2002, would later be vacated by the NCAA.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament
The winning Redmen were coached by Larry Gipson. Northeastern State's Darnell Hinson was the Most Outstanding Player.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament, Regionals, Great Lakes - Houghton, Michigan
Kentucky Wesleyan's participation in the 2002-2004 tournaments was vacated by the NCAA due to a widespread problem with athlete eligibility.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship
The 2003 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship was the 32nd annual tournament held by the NCAA to determine the top men's Division II college soccer program in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship
On the strength of Leon Jackson's late 2nd half goal Lynn (20-0-1) defeated Chico State in the tournament final, 2–1. The final and semi-finals were played at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, Virginia


2003 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship
This was the first national title for the Fighting Knights, who were coached by Shaun Pendleton, and had previously been finalists in 1997.


2003 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament involved 64 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the NCAA Division II women's college basketball national champion. It began March 14, 2003 and concluded with the championship game on March 29, 2003.


2003 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament
The first three rounds were hosted by top-seeded teams in regional play. The eight regional winners met for the quarterfinal and semifinals, better known as the "Elite Eight" and "Final Four" respectively, and National Championship game at the St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph, MO.


2003 NCAA Division II football rankings
The 2003 NCAA Division II football rankings are from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). This is for the 2003 season.


2003 NCAA Division II football season
The 2003 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 6, 2003, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 13, 2003 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Grand Valley State Lakers defeated the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, 10–3, to win their second Division II national title.


2003 NCAA Division II football season
The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Will Hall, quarterback from North Alabama.


2003 NCAA Division II football season, Conference summaries
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Fayetteville StateGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saginaw Valley StateGreat Northwest Athletic Conference – Western WashingtonGulf South Conference – North AlabamaLone Star Conference – Texas A&M–KingsvilleMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Central Missouri State, Emporia State, Missouri Western State, Northwest Missouri State, and Pittsburg StateNorth Central Conference – North DakotaNortheast-10 Conference – BentleyNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Concordia–Saint Paul and Winona StatePennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg (East), Edinboro and Indiana (PA) (West)Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Mesa StateSouth Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman, Catawba, and TusculumSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany StateWest Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – West Virginia Wesleyan


2003 NCAA Division II football season, Postseason
The 2003 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 30th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II. This was the final year of the 16-team bracket before the field expanded to 24 teams in 2004.


2003 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament was played at the end of the 2003 NCAA Division III baseball season to determine the 28th national champion of college baseball at the NCAA Division III level. The tournament concluded with eight teams competing at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin for the championship. Eight regional tournaments were held to determine the participants in the World Series. Regional tournaments were contested in double-elimination format, five four regions consisting of six teams and three regions consisting of four teams, for a total of 42 teams participating in the tournament. The tournament champion was Chapman, who defeated Christopher Newport for the championship.


2003 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament, World Series
Fox Cities Stadium-Grand Chute, WI (Host: University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh/Lawrence University)


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament was the 29th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champions of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's Division III collegiate basketball in the United States.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament
The field contained sixty-four teams, and each program was allocated to one of four sectionals. All sectional games were played on campus sites, while the national semifinals, third-place final, and championship finals were contested at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament
Williams defeated Gustavus Adolphus, 67–65, in the championship, clinching their first national title.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament
The Ephs (31–1) were coached by Dave Paulsen. Paulsen would later coach at Division I programs Bucknell and George Mason.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament
Benjamin Coffin, also from Williams, was named Most Outstanding Player.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the culmination of the 2002–03 season, the 20th such tournament in NCAA history. It concluded with Norwich defeating Oswego State in the championship game 2-1. All First Round and Quarterfinal matchups were held at home team venues, while all succeeding games were played in Northfield, Vermont, where Norwich University coincidentally hosted the Frozen Four the year they won.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, Qualifying teams
The following teams qualified for the tournament. Automatic bids were offered to the conference tournament champion of seven different conferences with one at-large bid for the best remaining team from each region.


2003 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, Format
The tournament featured four rounds of play. All rounds were Single-game elimination. For the three eastern Quarterfinals the teams were seeded according to their rankings with the top three teams serving as hosts. For the western quarterfinal, the top-ranked team awaited the winner of a play-in game between the lower-ranked teams.


2003 NCAA Division III football season
The 2003 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2003, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2003 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Saint John's (MN) Johnnies won second Division III championship by defeating the three-time defending national champion Mount Union Purple Raiders, 24−6.


2003 NCAA Division III football season
The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Blake Elliott, wide receiver, punter, and kick returner from Saint John's (MN).


2003 NCAA Division III football season, Postseason
The 2003 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 31st annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia for the 11th time. This was the fifth bracket to feature 28 teams since last expanding in 1999.


2003 NCAA Division III football season, Final D3football.com Poll
Others receiving votes: 26. Capital 50, 27. Hardin-SImmons 47, 28. Allegheny 42, 29. Trinity(Conn.) 38, 30. Redlands 22, 31. Hope 21, 32. UW-Whitewater 19, 32. Hanover 19, 34. Curry 18, 35. Concordia(Wis.) 16, 36. Washington and Jefferson 12, 37. Muhlenberg 9, 38. Rowan 7, 38. Augustana 7, 40. Delaware Valley 6, 41. Menlo 3, 42. Willamette 2, 43. New Jersey 1, 43. Shenandoah 1.


2003 NCAA Division III football season, Awards
AFCA Regional Coach of the Year: Region 1: Mike DeLong, Springfield College Region 2: Jeff Hand, Waynesburg College Region 3: Ralph Harris, East Texas Baptist University Region 4: Mike Swider, Wheaton College Region 5: John Gagliardi, St. John’s University (Minn.)


2003 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 2003 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.


2003 NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament was the 34th annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA men's collegiate indoor volleyball. The single elimination tournament was played at The Pyramid in Long Beach, California during May 2003.


2003 NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament
Lewis defeated BYU in the final match, 3–2 (42–44, 30–27, 30–21, 23–30, 15–12), to win their first national title. However, the NCAA Committee on Infractions ultimately vacated the Flyers' tournament appearance, wins, and championship. The championship was not reawarded to BYU. Lewis (29–6), coached by Dave Deuser, would have become the first non-Division I program to win the NCAA men's volleyball tournament. This was also the first final in the tournament’s history where both finalists were from a state other than California. All other finals before had at least one California school participating.


2003 NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament
Lewis' Gustavo Meyer was originally named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. However, this award was revoked when Lewis' title was vacated by the NCAA. Additionally, Meyer and teammates Fabiano Barreto and Ryan Stuntz were all removed from the six-man All Tournament Team.


2003 NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament, Qualification
Until the creation of the NCAA Men's Division III Volleyball Championship in 2012, there was only a single national championship for men's volleyball. As such, all NCAA men's volleyball programs, whether from Division I, Division II, or Division III, were eligible. A total of 4 teams were invited to contest this championship.


2003 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
The 2003 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship was the 35th annual NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship to determine the national champion of NCAA men's collegiate water polo. Tournament matches were played at the Avery Aquatic Center in Stanford, California during December 2003.


2003 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
USC defeated Stanford in the final, 9–7 (in overtime), to win their second national title. The Trojans (24–3) were coached by Jovan Vavic.


2003 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
The Most Outstanding Players of the tournament were Tony Azevedo (Stanford), who won the award for a record third straight year, and Bozidar Damjanovic (USC). Azevedo and Damjanovic, along with five other players, also comprised the All-Tournament Team.


2003 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
Azevedo, with 8 goals, was also the tournament's leading scorer.


2003 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship, Qualification
Since there has only ever been one single national championship for water polo, all NCAA men's water polo programs (whether from Division I, Division II, or Division III) were eligible. A total of 4 teams were invited to contest this championship.


2003 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament
The 2003 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament involved four schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of women's NCAA Division I college ice hockey. It began on March 21, 2003, and ended with the championship game on March 23. A total of four games were played.


2003 NCAA Rifle Championships
The 2003 NCAA Rifle Championships were contested at the 24th annual NCAA-sanctioned competition to determine the team and individual national champions of co-ed collegiate rifle shooting in the United States. This year's championships were held at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.


2003 NCAA Rifle Championships
Four-time defending champions Alaska once again topped the team standings, finishing 90 points (6,287–6,197) ahead of Xavier. This was the Nanooks' fifth consecutive and sixth overall team title.


2003 NCAA Rifle Championships
Matthew Emmons (Alaska) once again repeated as the individual national champion for the smallbore rifle (his third consecutive in air rifle and fourth individual title overall, all since 2001). Emmons remains the only collegiate shooter with four NCAA individual titles. The air rifle title was claimed by Jamie Beyerle (Alaska).


2003 NCAA Rifle Championships, Qualification
With only one national collegiate championship for rifle shooting, all NCAA rifle programs (whether from Division I, Division II, or Division III) were eligible. A total of ten teams contested this championship, a return to the size of the original two championships in 1980 and 1981.


2003 NCAA Skiing Championships
The 2003 NCAA Skiing Championships were contested at the Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme, New Hampshire as part of the 50th annual NCAA-sanctioned ski tournament to determine the individual and team national champions of men's and women's collegiate slalom and cross country skiing in the United States.


2003 NCAA Skiing Championships
Utah, coached by Kevin Sweeney, won the team championship, the Utes' ninth co-ed title and tenth overall.


2003 NCAA Skiing Championships, Venue
This year's championships were contested at the Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme, New Hampshire. The event was hosted by nearby Dartmouth College.


2003 NCAA Skiing Championships, Venue
These were the second NCAA championships hosted at the Dartmouth Skiway (1958 and 2003) and the eighth in the state of New Hampshire (1958, 1964, 1970, 1978, 1984, 1992, 1995, and 2003).


2003 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship
The 2003 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship was held in April 2003 and involved 12 schools competing for the national championship of women's NCAA Division I gymnastics. It was the twenty second NCAA gymnastics national championship. The defending NCAA Team Champion for 2002 was Alabama. The competition took place in Lincoln, Nebraska hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The 2003 team championship was won by UCLA and the individual champion was Richelle Simpson, Nebraska, 39.800 points.


2003 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
The 2002 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship was the third annual tournament to determine the national championship of NCAA women's collegiate water polo. The single elimination tournament was played at Canyonview Pool at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, San Diego, California from May 10–11, 2003.


2003 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
UCLA, in a rematch of the previous two years' finals, defeated Stanford in the final, 4–3, to win their second NCAA championship. The Bruins (23–4) were coached by Adam Krikorian.


2003 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
UCLA's Robin Beauregard was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Five different players (2 from UCLA, 2 from Stanford, and 1 from Loyola Marymount) tied as the tournament's leading scorer, with 3 goals each.