CARY, N.C. — The NCAA has selected Cary to serve as one of the inaugural members in its new “NCAA Championship City” pilot program that will feature multiple host opportunities of NCAA Division I, II and III men’s and women’s championships through the year 2012. Other cities selected include Cleveland, Indianapolis, St. Louis, San Diego and San Antonio.
Cary will host NCAA championships over the next six years:
• 2008 Division I Women’s College Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park
• 2009 Division I Men’s College Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park
• 2010 Division I Women’s College Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park
• 2010 Division II Baseball Championship – USA Baseball National Training Center
• 2011 Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships at WakeMed Soccer Park Cross Country Course
• 2012 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships at Cary Tennis Park
Also, the 2009 Division I Women’s Basketball Regional will be held at the RBC Center in Raleigh.
“Cary's selection is a testament to the Town Council’s dedication to making Cary one of America’s premier host communities for amateur and collegiate athletics,” said Mary Henderson, Cary’s Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources. “It also makes a statement about our venues and facilities, which the NCAA has recognized as some of the finest in the nation.”
The centerpiece of the NCAA’ s Championship City pilot program is a long-term agreement between the NCAA and each host city to bring a wide array of championships and ancillary events to the six geographical areas over the course of several years.
Once the Championship City model was created, the NCAA approached about three dozen cities, with 21 submitting proposals to join the pilot program. The field was narrowed to eight, then six cities, all of which had extensive experience in hosting NCAA championships in past years.
Each of the six cities selected to take part in the pilot program has hosted an NCAA championship in previous years, including various levels of the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. Whereas most cities that have been selected to host an NCAA championship focus on a specific division or sport, the Championship City pilot will provide the six cities with the privilege to host specific NCAA championships in Division I, II and III; a wider range of sports to host, which opens the city to a broader and diverse range of fans; rights to use enhanced NCAA marks; and NCAA marketing initiatives that identify it as a city selected specifically by the NCAA for the Championship City pilot program.
“The Championship City model is a multiple-event concept that will create greater community support of the events through increased attendance and an enhanced atmosphere for the student-athletes and fans, as well as operational and economic efficiencies both for the cities and the NCAA,” said NCAA President Myles Brand. “This bundling of events allows the NCAA and the cities to provide benefits collectively that individual
