LOUISVILLE, KY. --- The Louisville Sports Commission and Bellarmine University have announced the honorary co-chairs for the upcoming NCAA Division II National Championships Festival, an Olympic-style event, planned for November 30 through December 4 in Louisville, Ky. Former basketball student-athletes George Tinsley, Sr., and January Taylor will serve as honorary co-chairs of the event’s local organizing committee, as well as Bellarmine University president Dr. Joseph McGowan.
"It is an honor to represent the Louisville Sports Commission for this announcement," said Chairman Steve Higdon. "I am a firm believer that Louisville’s strength comes from the people who care deeply about what they do and share a common passion for our community. The honorary chairs -January Taylor, George Tinsley, Sr. and Dr. Joseph McGowan - all exemplify these traits. Their success stories will enhance the experiences of the Division II student-athletes who come to Louisville to compete for national championships in 2010."
The Division II Fall Championships Festival will feature 70 teams and more than 800 student-athletes vying for championship titles in men’s and women’s cross country; women’s field hockey; men’s and women’s soccer; and women’s volleyball.
This is the fifth national championships festival hosted by Division II, which is the only NCAA division to host a multiple championship festival.
“I am much honored to serve as honorary Co-Chairman for the Division II Fall Championships Festival,” said George Tinsley Sr. “As a former Division II Student Athlete of Kentucky Wesleyan College and a Louisville, Kentucky native, I look forward to proudly serve in the capacity. It certainly looks like it is going to be a great event that represents the best that the Division II has to put forth. The Louisville Sports Commission and Bellarmine University have done a great job as hosts in preparation for championships festival.”
“I am not sure where I would be in life without basketball, without a Bellarmine education, or without my NCAA scholarship. I think that’s what this championship festival is all about --a celebration of the opportunities given through college athletics,” said January Taylor. “I would like to thank the NCAA, the Louisville Sports Commission and Bellarmine University for allowing me to be a part of this special event. I know I will treasure this as I do all of my collegiate memories.”
As the host institution for the fall festival, Bellarmine University’s Knights Hall and Owsley B. Frazier Stadium will service as the practice and competition venues for volleyball and soccer respectively. In addition, University of Louisville’s Trager Stadium will serve as the field hockey venue and E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park will serve as the cross country venue.
“We are happy to welcome the NCAA’s fall festival of national championships to our campus and hometown,” said Dr. Joseph J. McGowan, president of Bellarmine University. “We appreciate the opportunity to showcase Bellarmine and our improved athletic facilities on a national level.”
“The Division II National Championships Festival is a wonderful opportunity for student-athletes to compete for an NCAA title, support peers in other sports, and enjoy a national championship atmosphere at the highest level,” said Mike Racy, NCAA vice president of Division II. “We are excited for our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans to have the opportunity to experience the wonderful community of Louisville.”
Division II held its first festival in spring 2004 in Orlando, Fla., and conducted a fall festival in November 2006 in Pensacola, Fla. The spring 2008 and winter 2009 festivals were both held in Houston.
“We are excited about hosting the festival," said Karl Schmitt, Louisville Sports Commission interim executive director. "The partnership we've forged between the NCAA and Bellarmine, University of Louisville, Sawyer Park, State Fair Board and the Convention & Visitor's Bureau – coupled with championship caliber facilities and Louisville's knack for embracing elite sporting events – will translate into a quality experience for the NCAA Division II student-athletes."
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 will feature opening and closing ceremonies, social opportunities for student-athletes, and community engagement events. Student-athletes will be housed in centrally located hotels, allowing for an athlete-village type atmosphere.
NCAA Division II is one of three membership divisions at the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a volunteer organization comprising more than 1,200 institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations. Division II is a group of institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations that serve more than 75,000 student-athletes nationwide, including 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. For additional information on Division II efforts, visit www.ncaa.org.
Bellarmine University was founded in 1950 by the Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville. It merged with Ursuline in College in 1968 and became coeducational and independent. Today, Bellarmine offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 50 subject areas and has an enrollment of more than 2,800 students. Competing in intercollegiate athletics with the nickname Knights, Bellarmine fields 18 varsity-level athletic teams that compete at the NCAA Division II level, and one team (men’s lacrosse) that competes at the NCAA Division I level.
The Louisville Sports Commission is a not-for-profit organization committed to attracting and hosting national and international sporting events that have a positive economic impact on our community, enhance the image of the greater Louisville area and improve the quality of life for area residents and sports enthusiasts.
