Participants in NCAA tournaments receive gifts in addition to conference tournaments.

At the recent Frozen Four, the NCAA ice hockey semifinals, Wisconsin players, coaches and staff received a tournament baseball cap and jacket, according to Wisconsin’s Paul Capobianco, an assistant director of athletic communications.

That was less than what Colorado College received when the Tigers advanced to the national semifinals in 2005.

Assistant coach Joe Bonnett said the Tigers could choose from shoulder bags, sweatshirts, a baseball cap and a pullover jacket from the NCAA.

“There was a rumor they would be getting iPods which had the guys excited,” he said. “We weren’t disappointed. What we got was pretty good.”

For their participation in the 2009 NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament, Air Force players received a jacket and a hat.

The players on Air Force’s 2006 men’s basketball team received watches after participating in the NCAA Tournament.

And three Air Force track athletes who participated in NCAA championships last year each received a set of fabric bags by Skor (a briefcase, a laptop bag and a toiletry bag).

Football bowl games also give gifts to participants. Per NCAA rules, the management of the event can spend up to $500 per player. According to the Sports Business Journal, Air Force players at the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl received an electronic gift from Sony, a Timely Watch Co. watch, a camouflaged knit cap, an Ogio Metro laptop pack with luggage tag, a football and a calendar.

Photo by ILLUSTRATION BY MATT STEINER, THE GAZETTE