It seems fitting that the birthplace of collegiate wheelchair basketball—the University of Illinois—won the 2010 National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament. Colleges competing in the tournament, by ranking order, are:

#1  University of Illinois
The college’s Wheelchair Athletic Program website tells this to prospective wheelchair athletes: “You will not be considered average when you enter this program, and you will have above average expectations placed upon you…For most people, dreams stay as dreams. For student-athletes in the University of Illinois Wheelchair Athletic Program, dreams are realized every day.”

#2 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
The Warhawk Wheelchair Basketball Team began over 25 years ago. It participated in the first National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament and was a founding member of the Central Intercollegiate Conference. The Warhawks have won the NIWBT three times.
 
#3 University of Texas at Arlington
In 1976, wheelchair basketball was introduced at UTA as a recreational event. UTA then took an unprecedented step in 1988 to elevate its Wheelchair Basketball program to an intercollegiate athletic program and has funded full scholarships to deserving players.

#4 University of Alabama
The University of Alabama Wheelchair Basketball program started with a women’s team in 2003.  In 2006, the program added a men’s wheelchair basketball team. This is the sixth season for the program, and is the only such university program in the Southeast.

#5 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Edinboro has a commitment to serving students with physical disabilities and has one of the nation's best wheelchair basketball teams. The team hosts an annual tournament, the Boro Shootout. The college awards a Wheelchair Basketball Alumni Scholarship to an outstanding member of the university wheelchair basketball team.

#6 University of Missouri
For Tiger Wheelchair Basketball players, the college website says, “Excellence on and off the court is the expectation... these student-athletes are presented with a chance to fulfill their potential, strive for greatness and realize dreams.” This semester, Tiger Wheelchair Basketball opened a new private team fitness room to accommodate its team.

#7 Southwest Minnesota State University
SMSU was this year’s host of the NIWBT. Player Jacob Williams was named to the All-Freshman team for 2009-10.  Williams was one of five players from across the country who were selected by head coaches from the intercollegiate division of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association.