RUTGERS

Location: Piscataway, N.J.

Nearest major city: Essentially a southwest suburb of New York City, it's 30 miles from Manhattan.

Established: 1766

Athletics department: 22 teams

Undergraduate enrollment: 43,967

Nickname: Scarlet Knights

Famous alumni: James Gandolfini (actor), David Stern (former NBA commissioner)

Notable athletic achievements: Coach C. Vivian Stringer led the women's basketball team to the 2007 NCAA championship game (losing to Tennessee), and the Scarlet Knights won last year's WNIT.

Football stadium: High Point Solutions Stadium (opened 1994, seats 52,454)

Basketball arena: Louis Brown Athletic Center (opened 1977, seats 8,000)

MARYLAND

Location: College Park, Md.

Nearest major city: Eight miles northeast of Washington, D.C.

Established: 1856

Athletics department: 20 teams

Undergraduate enrollment: 27,000

Nickname: Terrapins (or Terps)

Famous alumni: Sergey Brin (Google co-founder), Larry David ("Seinfeld" co-creator)

Notable athletic achievements:  Men's basketball team won 2002 NCAA title. Former Gophers coach Brenda Frese led the women's basketball team to the 2006 national title and this year's Final Four. Their women's lacrosse team won the NCAA title, and their men's team made this year's final four.

Football stadium: Byrd Stadium (opened 1950, seats 51,800)

Basketball arena: Comcast Center (opened 2002, seats 17,950)