Source: Erie Sports Commission
ERIE, PA: The NCAA yesterday announced more than 600 host sites for preliminary rounds and finals of predetermined championships, with Pennsylvania host cities being awarded 53 events, making PA the most highly-awarded state in the nation.
Pittsburgh was awarded 22 preliminary rounds and finals, the most of any city in the United States. Six of those events will be held in the fall of 2018, when Pittsburgh hosts the Division II National Championships Festival, which includes Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, and Women’s Volleyball.
NCAA championship events were also awarded to Erie, Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, and State College.
“Yesterday’s announcement from the NCAA demonstrates the attractiveness of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a sports destination,” said Ron Sertz, Chairman of PA Sports. “It confirms the effectiveness of the overall marketing efforts of PA Sports and its member organizations, and further establishes Pennsylvania as a leader in sport tourism.”
The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions for predetermined championships in Divisions I, II, III and non-conference to be held from 2017-18 through 2021-22. The NCAA awards based on factors such as overall student-athlete experience, optimal facilities, and ease of travel. For a complete list of sites awarded, visit www.ncaa.com.
The mission of Pennsylvania Sports is to attract and host international, national, regional, and local sporting events, and showcase Pennsylvania as a viable sports event destination for professional, collegiate, interscholastic, amateur, and youth sporting venues, which will foster economic development, and enrich the quality of life in the Commonwealth, making it a better place to visit, live, work, and play.
