GREENVILLE, S.C. - The National Christian College Athletic Association announced an agreement with Greenville University to host the Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Championships for the 2019-20 and 2020-2021 academic years. The championships will be held at the John M. Strahl Athletic Complex located south of campus.
"As a longstanding member of the NCCAA, Greenville University has been most active in the arena of track & field through Track & Field Coach Brian Patton's leadership," stated NCCAA Executive Director Dan Wood. "We are most appreciative of their desire to host the 2020 and 2021 NCCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and look forward to a series of great events."
Each year in May, these championships feature student-athletes from across the country competing in 22 events. Men's and women's events will be held over the course of a three-day period. The championships will begin with multi-events on Wednesday, May 6; multi-events, preliminaries, and selected finals on Thursday, May 7; and the remaining finals on Friday, May 8.
Student-athletes and coaches will also have the opportunity to impact the local community through a Christian Service Project (CSP). Details of the CSP will be released closer to the event date.
Athletic Director Tom Ackerman said, "It is an honor to receive the bid to host the NCCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2020 and 2021. Our staff looks forward to the opportunity to host the best track and field student-athletes in the NCCAA and provide them with an experience that they will cherish."
"Greenville has been a member of the NCCAA prior to my arrival some 25 years ago," stated Patton. "Their championships have been the highlight for many of our student-athletes over the years. Counting indoor and outdoor championships, we have participated in almost 45 of those championships. While there will be a lot of work involved in hosting these events, it will be a milestone for our coaching staff and athletes as we bring the meet home to Greenville." Patton continued, "Having managed some rather large meets over the past five years, we are confident and excited to have our NCCAA guests coming to Greenville where we can take our turn in serving as host."
The John M. Strahl Athletic Complex features an eight-lane polyurethane track as well as multiple field event areas, both on the infield and surrounding track. The pole vault, long jump, and triple jump runways are set north and south so as to allow athletes the ability to jump in either direction. The track itself runs east and west and is equipped to run in either direction as needed based on wind direction. The throwing venues include a dedicated javelin polyurethane runway, hammer-disc cage, and multi-ring shot area.
Dr. Ivan Filby, Greenville University's President said, "Greenville University is honored to host these NCCAA Championship events in 2020 and 2021, and is thrilled to bring the best of the best student-athletes to Greenville. The events add value to our community. We look forward to extending Greenville's motto—"arms wide open"—to NCCAA competitors."
For more information on Greenville University's facilities, click here.
Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, the NCCAA strives to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ through its 24 National Championships and 2 National Invitationals. For more information on the NCCAA, contact the NCCAA National Office at (864) 250-1199 or visit www.thenccaa.org.
