INDIANAPOLIS--- More than 900 NCAA Division II student-athletes will compete for five team and 80 individual championship titles when the NCAA, in conjunction with the University of Houston and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, hosts the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championships Festival, March 10 – 14, in Houston, Texas. This event marks the first winter festival, and the largest student-athlete participation in an NCAA championship event.

The festival, which is structured similar to an Olympic-type event, will include championship title competitions in men’s and women’s track and field; men’s and women’s swimming and diving; and wrestling.

This is the fourth national championships festival hosted by Division II, which is the first and only NCAA division to host a multiple championships festival. Division II held its first festival in spring 2004 in Orlando, Fla., and conducted a fall festival in November 2006 in Pensacola, Fla. This is the second festival hosted in Houston, which also hosted the spring 2008 festival last May.

The goals of the Division II National Championships Festival are to enhance the student-athlete college experience; create more awareness and exposure for Division II sports; and increase attendance by hosting multiple championships in one location.

“The festival not only portrays the best of Division II, but it also supports the greater mission of the Association,” said Stephen Jordan, president of Metropolitan State College of Denver and Division II Presidents Council chair. “We are investing in the education of student-athletes and the development of young adults into productive citizens and community members. The festival experience allows the student-athletes to participate in exciting competition and add to the rewarding experiences that make up their collegiate experiences.”

Student-athletes competing at the festival will have the opportunity to participate in opening and closing ceremonies, as well as attend other championships and support their peers while competing for titles in their own sport. There also will be social activities for student-athletes at the end of each day’s competition.

The wrestling and men’s and women’s swimming and diving competitions will be held at the University of Houston’s Campus Recreation Center. The men’s and women’s track and field competitions will be held at the University of Houston’s Athletics and Alumni Center.

All competition from the 2009 Division II Festival will be streamed live online at NCAA.com. Coverage will include four days of swimming and diving competition and two days of both wrestling and track and field. Links to each day’s video coverage can be found at the following link: http://www.ncaa.com/loc/ncaa-diifestival-loc.html.

All championships competition are open to the public. Tickets for the athletic competition will be $5 per day on Wednesday and Thursday, and $10 per day on Friday and Saturday.

NCAA Division II is one of the three membership divisions within the NCAA, which comprises more than 1,300 institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations. Division II is a group of institutions and conferences that serve more than 75,000 student-athletes nationwide, including in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The emphasis for the student-athlete experience in Division II is a comprehensive program of learning and development. The Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, learning in high-level athletic competition and the development of societal attitudes in service to the community. The balance and integration of these different areas of learning provide Division II student-athletes with a path to graduation while cultivating a variety of skills and knowledge for life ahead.

-30-